Miles To Go
by A.Boleyn
Summary: DL. Cross country journey, a past revealed, a relationship tested. Complete.
1. Quitting Time

**Miles to Go** – a sequel to 'Combustion'

**Disclaimer:** I do not own these characters, CBS does. I am not making any monetary profit from writing this. This is a work of fiction. It's purely to exercise my overly-vivid imagination. Only the plot and storyline belong to me, derived from my own family drama. For topical use only. Frequent use has been shown to cause low birthweights in mice.

**Author's Note:** Pack your bags - here we go on a D/L road trip! This is meant to be an extensive, long-running fic. It's a sequel to 'Combustion', but will focus more on drama. Still, a healthy dose of Fluff will be included in each chapter! I have done some research, but please grant me the proverbial 'Creative License' when it comes to any legal terms and proceedings. Also – there WILL be some grammatical errors with Danny's speech. But that's how he talks, and I am trying to be authentic.

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Quitting Time**

Tick, tick, tick.

The clock could not move any slower, at least for Lindsay Monroe. This had possibly been the longest Monday ever, and she was finally wrapping up a case that had stumped her from day one. She was looking forward to going home to a nice dinner and some quality time with Danny. They had been together for almost a month now, and she felt like she was walking on air.

In spite of how well everything was going – confidence in her job, a growing relationship with Danny, adjusting to city life – she couldn't shake a sense of foreboding. A dark cloud of fear would occasionally creep over her. Still, she tried to ignore it, telling herself it was just ghosts of the past trying to defeat her.

The clock finally hit 5:00, and with a smile of satisfaction, Lindsay tossed her final report in Mac's inbox and waved goodbye to Stella. In the quiet darkness of the locker room, Lindsay gratefully pulled on her coat and grabbed her purse. Even though she was expecting it, she still jumped when she felt two strong arms wrap around her from behind.

Whispering into her ear, Danny said "I can't keep it up".

Lindsay snickered. "You sure didn't have that problem last night."

Danny laughed – her favorite sound. "I mean keeping secrets. Keeping _us_ a secret. I can hardly function. I want to tell everybody."

She turned and snuggled into him, placing her finger against his lips. "Mum's the word! Until we figure out how to handle it. I don't want to risk losing my job, or more importantly – _you_." She flashed him her brightest smile that she knew always made him melt. "Now, I'm headed home. Meet me there by 6?"

The creak of the locker room door caused them to instantly separate, playing cool as two chatty lab techs entered. Unable to resist, Lindsay pinched Danny's ass as she walked away, leaving him grinning like a fool.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Lindsay walked in her apartment door, humming softly to herself and tossing her keys on the table. Danny would be over within half an hour. It was funny how even after these four weeks together, she still got butterflies. She thumbed through her mail, and paused to glance at the new issue of 'Glamour' magazine. "Is Your Man Wrapped Around Your Little Finger?" the cover screamed. Lindsay grinned. _I already know the answer to that_, she thought.

As she continued sifting through the stack of mail, a cream-colored envelope slid to the floor. Lindsay kneeled on the carpet to pick it up, and when she saw the return address, her stomach churned.

**Gates & Dean  
Attorneys-at-Law  
Bozeman, MT**

With trembling hands, she tore open the envelope and read the contents. Now sitting on the floor, she buried her head in her hands. _So this is what my subconscious has been trying to tell me_, she thought. _It's not over.  
_

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Danny found her like this. He knew as soon as he saw her that something was terribly wrong. "Lindsay?" he inquired gently, still standing in the doorway.

Fighting back tears because she didn't want to lose control in front of him, Lindsay croaked, "I'm going back."

"Back?" he questioned. "Where?"

"Montana," she whimpered. "I have to."

Both anger and raw fear was written on Danny's pale face.

"So that's it? You're up and leaving, just like that?" he snapped in a tortured voice. "Everything between us is over?"

Lindsay leapt up and ran to him, throwing her arms around his neck. "No, no, no, NO! I'm not leaving permanently, Danny, just for a few days." A few stray tears ran unchecked down her face.

Still in her embrace, Danny went limp and staggered to the sofa. He sank into the cushions and rubbed his temples. She felt strangely touched by his reaction. Even though their relationship was great, she always thought in the back of her mind that she loved him more. NEEDED him more. To see him show vulnerability made a warm feeling spread inside of her. Maybe she wasn't the only one with abandonment issues after all. She ran her fingers up and down his back. "I'm sorry I scared you," she apologized.

"What's going on? Why do you have to go back?" he muttered, his eyes closed.

"It's my family." Lindsay shook her head. "It's such a long, screwed up story".

Danny cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs supporting her chin. "Talk to me, Babe. You don't gotta carry this alone". He delicately kissed away her tears.

Lindsay sighed and leaned against him. There was no place on earth that felt as safe as his arms. "My father died when I was eleven. At that time, I became the heir to his inheritance from my grandparents. I get half, and their other son, my uncle Dale, gets half. My grandfather died two years ago, and my grandmother passed in September, right before I came here." Hugging herself, Lindsay stood up and walked to the window. Night had settled, and headlights blinked up at her. It reminded her of the fireflies back home.

In a softer voice, she continued. "But my uncle and his daughter – my cousin – think he should get 100 percent of the inheritance. My cousin is also an attorney, and now they're contesting the will."

"They can't just do that, can they?" Danny asked, rubbing his neck. "If you've been named in the will already?"

"You don't understand. It's a small city. My cousin, Rachel, is the assistant DA, and has all the judges in her back pocket. She had a hand in writing my grandparents' will. She's married to the _mayor_. She made me out to be the Bad Guy, and everyone believed her. I was ostracized at my job. That's why I transferred to New York. I wanted to be far, far away from that. I thought I was, but now they are trying to keep me from getting what I deserve."

Danny cleared his throat. "How much is at stake?" It was a personal question, but he only wanted to help her.

"A quarter of a million dollars".

Danny blanched. "_Whoa_".

"So I have to go, and fight this. Even though I'd rather just forget it. My grandmother would want me to fight." Lindsay took a deep, rattled breath. "It will take about three days to drive there."

"Why don't you just fly out? It would take less time." The idea of Lindsay driving across the country by herself made Danny nervous. Plus, he was going to miss her like crazy. The idea of not falling asleep and waking up next to her made him ache.

"I have to return the car, it's part of the settlement," she replied. Danny had always wondered about Lindsay's fancy SUV, and how a Montana CSI could have afforded it.

Something clicked in Danny's head; he knew what he had to do. He stood up and crossed the room to stand at her side.

"Then I'll go with you," he said, reaching out to gently squeeze her shoulder.

Lindsay looked at him, shocked. "You've got to be kidding, Danny. I don't want to drag you into this. It could get very messy. Besides, Mac won't let us both have a week off."

"I have plenty of vacation time. It's not like I take off to the Hamptons every summer." Danny retorted. "I _want_ to be there for you. If somebody wants to try to hurt you, they'll have to go through me first."

A sad smile crossed Lindsay's face. "I know, and that's why I love you-".

She froze and slapped her hand over her mouth. The L Word. She _did_ love him, but hadn't said it for fear of scaring him away. It had just slipped out. "I'm sorry. I didn't me-"

He grabber her wrists and pulled her close, looking deep into her eyes. "What? You think I don't feel the same way?" He traced her bottom lip with his finger. "Don't think you're not my whole world, Lindsay."

For a moment neither of them spoke. Then, firmly, Danny stated, "I'm coming with you. Case closed."

* * *

Please review! I esp. like to hear your favorite lines. 


	2. Buffalo or Bust

**DISC:** usual mumbo jumbo  
**A/N:** OK, finally, here it is! I wasn't 'feeling it' for a few days. There will be some unrealistic elements here. Would Mac really let two of his investigators go off for a week? Approve a workplace romance? Of course not. But that's why it's fiction, folks! Get comfy, it's a long one. Thanks so much for all of the reviews you have sent. It feeds my creative insanity!

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Buffalo or Bust**

Tick, tick, tick.

_Here I am, watching the damn clock again_, thought Lindsay. The red lights told her it was 2:48am. She had hardly slept at all, tossing and turning and worrying. Her mind was spinning a hundred miles per hour. She had so much to do – buy maps, pack, book a hotel, call her attorney, talk to Mac. The next week was going to be a nightmare, and she wished she could hit the 'Fast Forward' button on her life.

The sound of Danny's even breathing told her he was sleeping deeply. Not wanting to disturb him with her constant stirring, she slipped cautiously out of bed and went to the living room. Curling up on the sofa, she pulled a fleece blanket over her shoulders. The clock on the television showed 3:01am. Lindsay groaned. Would this night ever end?

She felt like the anger and self-pity would swallow her whole. Her father's side of the family had always been an egotistical bunch, but now things had gotten truly ugly. Facing them again was the last thing she wanted to do, but maybe it would finally bring closure. _Why do things have to go so wrong, when they were just starting to go right_, she wondered. She was overwhelmed by all the emotions – trepidation, rage, dread. In addition, it unearthed the raw grief she felt from losing her grandparents. They had always been so naïve about the family strife. Quietly, she allowed herself to weep.

"You okay?"

She turned and saw Danny, bathed in the glow of the hallway light. He was not wearing a shirt, a sight that still caused a twinge inside her. She held out her arm, gesturing for him to join her under the blanket. He sat and folded her into him. Sinking into his warmth, she thought: _I'm addicted to him._ He was her comfort, her passion, her joy. All of this provided her with a narcotic-like effect.

"Did I wake you?" She rubbed the stubble on his cheek. He was not wearing his glasses, and she always thought it made him look older.

"My body kinda knew you weren't next to me." He stifled a yawn. "You're not okay, are you?"

Lindsay shook her head, trying to deny the tears that fell from her puffy eyes, the wadded up tissues on the table.

"It's never been about the money, you know," she said. "They were my _grandparents_. I'd rather have them back, than have the money. But this is about standing up for myself. I can't sit back and let this go without a fight."

"You are gonna fight," he breathed into her hair. "_We're_ gonna fight. I got your back, Lindsay."

She examined him in the dim light, intertwining her fingers with his. "I don't deserve you."

"No. You don't." Danny paused. "You deserve better."

He had a sad, faraway look in his eyes. "There's some stuff you don't know, Lindsay… from my past."

She shook her head, frustrated. "Don't you get it? Who you were back then has nothing to do with you now. Nothing you did in the past can make me stop loving you. Believe that. Trust that. Everyone makes bad choices and mistakes. It made you who you are today, and that happens to be someone I'm crazy about." Lindsay grinned, the tears drying sticky on her face. Just his presence could lift her spirit and chase away the demons.

He smiled back weakly. "We'll see if you still feel that way after being stuck in a car with me for a couple days."

"Au contraire! A car with a very roomy _back seat_," she purred into his ear. But she was feeling too exhausted, mentally and physically, to be frisky right now. Danny knew it, and he shook his head

"Nope, not gonna happen. You need to sleep, Linds. We gotta get up in a few hours." His strong arms lifted her up and carried her back to the bedroom. This time, Lindsay slept like a rock.

* * *

All too soon, the screeching alarm sounded. Lindsay felt Danny slide out of bed and turn off the alarm. When she heard the shower start up, she rolled over into his spot, still warm and smelling of him. She believed that life's greatest injustice was having to leave the warm bed you share with the one you love and go to work. She envisioned him soapy and wet in the steamy shower. The thought helped lift the fog in her brain. She entertained this fantasy for a few minutes, until a damp towel hit her in the head.

"Your turn. Wake up, Sunshine."

Lindsay groaned, wondering how he could alternate between sweet and obnoxious so flawlessly. She sat up and glared at Danny. "Gee thanks, Prince Charming." She tossed the towel back at him.

She sighed as she reached for her robe. "We have to have _The_ conversation with Mac today. And I guess once he knows, everyone else will find out."

"Stella knows." Danny spoke quietly, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What!" Lindsay dropped the bottle of lotion she was holding. "You _told_ her?"

"Not exactly…. she guessed. She wanted to know why I was so happy lately". He was focused intensely on the buttoning of his shirt.

Lindsay melted at that line. She plopped down next to him and nuzzled his neck. "Oh yeah? And what did you tell her?"

"That I got a new car."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, whacked his arm, and stood up. He tried to pull her back, but she shook her head. "Sorry Romeo," she grumbled as she pushed his roaming hands away. "I'm getting in the shower… alone."

Danny spoke up quickly. "She asked if it was a woman, and I told her yes. That's when _you_ conveniently walked in the room, and my face must have shown it. Stella read me like a book".

Lindsay smiled, walked back to him and kissed the top of his head. "That's better." Seeing the puppy-dog eyes he flashed at her, she laughed. "But I'm still showering alone."

* * *

Lindsay was on pins and needles. Mac had been out of the lab all day, and she hadn't been able to talk to him. She knew he would let her go – she had finished up her most recent cases, and hadn't missed a single hour since starting in October. Plus, Mac was an understanding guy. Beneath his sometimes intimidating exterior, he had a big heart. But the question was – would he let Danny go? Not only had he clashed with Danny in the past, but Lindsay couldn't imagine him approving of a workplace romance. And how could she explain it to him? How it wasn't just a casual fling. How Danny made all the colors of her world a million times brighter. How the force that pulled them together was something greater than all of them.

During her lunch break, she was too antsy to eat. Instead, she made some phone calls: her attorney, some friends in Montana. Her attorney was an old high school friend, and was ready to go to war against Rachel Monroe, Esquire.

"We're meeting with the arbitrator on Monday. Your cousin doesn't have a leg to stand on, Lindsay. Don't worry a bit, let me handle everything. You just get yourself out here safely."

"I can't tell you how much I appreciate this." Lindsay's spirits lifted at the support.

After lunch, she pulled Danny aside in the lab, opening a folder and pretending to discuss test results with him.  
"I got some good news," she said quietly, pointing to an imaginary spot on the paper. "My best friend's parents own a Bed & Breakfast ranch in Bozeman. They're closed up until March, but they are letting us stay there. We'll have the entire place to ourselves!" She beamed, thinking of how romantic it would be.

"They even said we could ride the horses!" Lindsay added giddily.

Danny eyed her warily. "Ride a horse? I don't think so."

"Oh, I forgot, City Boy! Have you ever been out west?" Lindsay questioned teasingly, poking his side. "I mean, have you ever been out of the _state_?"

"I've seen buffalo!" Danny retorted. Then softly under his breath, he muttered "Buffalo, _New York_."

"What's this about buffalo?" Danny and Lindsay jumped as Mac appeared behind them.

"Mac? Just who we were looking for. Can we talk to you for a few minutes?" Lindsay eyed the people milling around. "In private?"

Mac raised an eyebrow. "Come with me".

Lindsay took a deep breath, and they both followed Mac to his office.

* * *

Exhaling with deep sighs of relief, they walked out fifteen minutes later.

"Not so painful, eh?" Danny grinned, but she knew he had been nervous too.

Lindsay nodded, still surprised at how agreeable Mac was. It had been a little awkward, but not nearly as bad as they expected. Together, she and Danny walked to the locker room to get their coats. She looked around at what had become so familiar in only a few months, realizing she wouldn't see it for a week.

She stopped, turned to stare Danny in the eye, and asked, "You ready for this?"

Danny stared right back and responded with no hesitation. "I'm ready."

They walked out the door arm-in-arm, letting the whole lab know their secret.

* * *

**A/N:** UP NEXT – Danny and Lindsay get started (finally) on their cross country trek. 


	3. Start your Engines

**CH 3 – Start your engines**

**  
**

**Disclaimer:** The characters are not mine. The story idea is mine, and the dialogues are my creation.  
I have done extensive research myself with maps, travel brochures, etc. So I have tried to be accurate as far as time zones, geography, and distance. But please grant me some creative license in the event of errors.  
**A/N:** This chapter is pretty brisk-moving. I am going to slow it down, but I wanted to get them started on their lil' journey. ) This is not a deep fic, and not meant to be. My recipe is 3 parts fluff + 2 parts humor + 1 part drama. The sappiness factor is unrealistic, sure. But I enjoy it that way! LOL This is purely about fun.  
Thank you for your reviews – every single one. I continue to be amazed by your kindness. We all write our fics with different ideas of what D/L would be like together, and I think it's great we can still respect (and enjoy) each other's pieces.

* * *

Later that evening, Lindsay and Danny lay on her living room floor on their stomachs, maps unfolded between them. Highlighters, notepads, and pens lay scattered. They had spent the past hour jotting down notes, figuring out which highways to take, and what cities to stop in.

"Okay," Lindsay said, biting her lip in concentration. "We'll be going straight across Jersey, right through Pennsylvania on route 80, then on to Cleveland. According to the Driving Times chart, that should take us about… seven hours."

Danny nodded, his finger tracing the route. "From there we head to Chicago, then Minneapolis, then Bismarck…"

"Then Bozeman!" they said in unison, grinning at each other.

Lindsay had to laugh at their appearance. Sprawled on the carpet surrounded by papers, they looked like two preschoolers sharing a coloring book. She wriggled across the map and flipped over onto her back next to him. Danny laid his head on her chest. As she ran her fingers through his hair, she stared at the ceiling and thought of how fast their relationship had progressed. It seemed like just yesterday when he had shown up on her doorstep to confess his feelings. Although the physical chemistry was undeniable from the first night, they had formed a solid friendship, too. They felt comfortable together, like they never had with anyone else before. Not only did they know the curves and angles of each other's bodies, but they knew the rises and valleys of each other's hearts.

"You know," Lindsay murmured thoughtfully. "I'm actually _excited_ about this field trip of ours. And I wouldn't be if you weren't coming along. How can I ever thank you?"

Danny shook his head. "You don't gotta thank me, Babe. I just wanna be where you are." He rolled over on top of her and propped himself up on his elbows to look in her eyes.

Lindsay sighed, thinking she might just in fact be the luckiest girl in the world.

"Oh, Danny. Why couldn't I have found you ten years ago? Where have you been?"

"Right here, waiting for you. It sure took you long enough." Danny smiled. "But if I met you when I was 85, and I died the next day, you still would have been worth the wait". He bathed her face in kisses, and his hands began to roam.

A highlighter dug into Lindsay's back, but she hardly noticed.

* * *

Lindsay gaped at the copious amount of luggage Danny was stuffing into her SUV. It was 4:50 am, still dark, and their breaths came out in puffs in the frigid air.

"Danny! How many bags did you _bring_? You're such a… such a…." she stammered. "You're such a WOMAN!" She doubled over with laughter.

"Hey, hey, hey!" He pointed at her accusingly. "This little Lewis & Clark expedition was your idea, not mine." But he was grinning.

"It's not as if we'll be running the Iditarod with a dog sled, here. I'm from a fairly civilized town, you know." Lindsay approached him, and gave him a soft peck on the lips. He looked tired. As she wrapped her arms around him, she felt a familiar hard object bump into her hip. She jerked back.

"Is that your gun?" Seeing the glint in his eyes, she continued before he could make the comment she knew was coming. "I mean that _literally_."

She felt under his coat. The badge was there, too. "Why did you bring those?"

Danny winked at her, a bit sheepish. "No one will mess with my girl if she has an NYPD cop at her side."

He tossed his last bag in the back and closed the tailgate.

_He likes people to think he's so tough_, she thought, touched. _I'm glad he let me in and showed me the other side. _

Climbing through the passenger door with their steaming travel mugs, Lindsay noticed the first signs of drizzle on the windshield. She cranked up the heater and settled back in the roomy seat. When she heard Danny open the car door, she said, "Don't worry, I won't make you eat any Rocky Mountain Oysters."

"Good. 'Cause I don't like fish," he replied, wrinkling his nose as he hopped in the driver's seat.

Lindsay chuckled, deciding not to explain to Danny exactly _what_ Rocky Mountain Oysters were. She could picture him screaming and running back to the apartment, hiding under her bed.

"Alright, let's do this." Danny paused to look at her before putting the car in reverse. She met his eyes, and felt the same tremor she always felt when she gazed into that exquisite blue. Lindsay knew that he could read the anxiety written on her face. He reached over to stroke her cheek with his hand. "Here we go".

She nodded, relishing the heat of his fingers that could so easily brush away the tension like a broom.

"Here we go," she echoed.

"So, we should be in Cleveland by noon, roughly." She studied the map as Danny drove them out of the parking lot. It was creased and slightly torn from their 'activities' on top of it the night before. The reminder made her blush. Lindsay watched the dark and empty New York streets pass by through the window. The stillness reminded her of the first morning she had woken up next to him, their limbs entangled.

She savored the coziness inside the car; it smelled of coffee, Danny, and rain. Ten minutes passed in silence. Lindsay wasn't chatty, a fact Danny was grateful for. They could just _be_ together. That was one of the million things that made her so different from anyone he had ever met.

"Do you think they'll talk about us?" Lindsay finally spoke up.

"Who? The lab?"

"Yeah… I mean, I know they _will_. They're a gossipy crowd. I was inundated with gossip after my first week there."

Danny, curious now, raised an eyebrow as he waited for a pedestrian to cross. "Really? What kinda gossip?"

"That Mac's wife died on September 11th. That Stella is dating an artist, and that Hawkes used to be the ME." Then she added softly; "That you were a player."

Danny shook his head slightly. "I was," he said, reaching over and squeezing her hand. "_Was_".

Lindsay felt a lump form in her throat as she gripped his hand back.

"And for the record, I've never driven across the country with a woman".

The lump in her throat disappeared, and a smug smile of satisfaction crossed her face.

* * *

New Jersey went by in a flash. Lindsay and Danny fought over the radio stations, talked about their cases from the past week, and just generally enjoyed being together in such close proximity. In Pennsylvania, they switched places and Lindsay drove. It was a blur of rolling hills, dense forests, crooked rivers, and mountains. The sight made her excited to return to the place she grew up. She still occasionally missed the scenery and privacy of rural life.

During the morning, they stopped twice to stretch their cramped bodies, snuggle with each other, and get more coffee. The day was still dreary, and the traffic was fairly light. Most of the other vehicles were tractor trailers. The driver of one particular rig tailgated their car for miles, then cut them off at an exit.

Danny gawked as Lindsay flashed her middle finger out the window towards the burly bearded man. "What?" she asked innocently, feeling his stare.

Danny laughed and shook his head. She amazed him every day. "Nothin'. Just remind me never to mess with a Montana girl who's got road rage."

* * *

Just outside Cleveland, they stopped for gas and lunch. The rain pattering on the restaurant windows had a strange romantic feel. Lindsay thought it was funny how no matter where she was, or what she was doing, Danny made it special. Here she was, in the middle of nowhere, but she felt perfectly content and at home. She sat on the same side of the booth with him, her head resting on his shoulder. One of Danny's hands was wrapped around his coffee mug, the other was resting on her knee, which he lightly squeezed.

"Five hours to Chicago, eh?" he asked.

"We have to remember to set our watches back an hour for Central time." Lindsay reminded him. Then she added with a yawn, "Our hotel room will be waiting, and I can't wait! Let's hit the road."

Danny took over the wheel as they traveled across northern Ohio. The mountains of western Pennsylvania had given way into flat, open fields. Mid-afternoon, after they passed through Toledo, Lindsay noticed a large sign on the roadside:

**WELCOME TO MICHIGAN!**

"Wait, Michigan? We're not supposed to go through _Michigan_." Lindsay whipped out the map.

"You gotta be kidding me!" Danny exclaimed. "Didn't you follow the map?"

"I couldn't read it! I tried, but it's all creased." Her brow was furrowed as she tried to smooth out the lines in the wrinkled paper.

"Whaddya mean you can't read it? You're supposed to be in charge of navigation!" Danny cried, exasperated.

"It's not _my_ fault you decided to take advantage of me right on top of Lake Erie!" she spat.  
"Anyway, we were supposed to take route 90. We have to backtrack about ten miles."

"Fantastic," Danny groaned.

Lindsay suddenly started to laugh, and then laughed harder until tears came out her eyes. The two of them could bicker like cats and dogs, but there was always an undercurrent of humor and teasing. Her sides hurt from laughing. A grin started to replace the childish pout on Danny's face.

"Damn, Baby. What's the matter?"

Lindsay waved her hand helplessly. "Nothing's the matter" she choked out. "It's just that this whole thing is crazy. Nuts!"

Danny started laughing too – "You're telling _me_."

* * *

Once on the correct interstate, they were soon cruising through Indiana. Lindsay was quiet, even more so than usual. Danny knew what she was likely thinking of, and his curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know what was waiting for them in Montana.

"Linds, Why is your family contesting the will? On what grounds?"

She sighed. She wanted to tell him everything, but it was hard to know where to start. "They're claiming I took advantage of my grandparents' finances while they were alive. They did pay for just about everything, like my first car, expenses. They even put me through college. Of course I was grateful and even felt guilty. But my father had died. Then I was on my own at 16. What else was I supposed to do?"

Danny's heart ached from hearing the pain in her voice. He hesitated before asking the next question.

"What about your mother? Where is she?"

"I don't know." Lindsay's words were clipped, and Danny knew not to press further. In his own life, there were some truths best left uncovered. At least some of the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

* * *

Night had settled as they entered Illinois. Their plan was to stop in Chicago for the night. To both of them, the idea of a shower, dinner, and a soft bed to share was so very appealing.

Snow flurries had begun to fall, lightly coating the grass and trees like a sprinkling of confectioner's sugar. The scene looked straight out of a snow globe.

"It's like Robert Frost" Lindsay spoke up suddenly.

"Who?" asked Danny. "You mean Jack Frost?"

"No!" she laughed. "I mean the poet, Robert Frost. He wrote 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening'. That's what this reminds me of."

"Gee, I musta missed that in Prep School Poetry 101," he teased her.

"But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep," Lindsay recited.

The glowing lights of Chicago lay up ahead, inviting.

_And **miles to go** before I sleep._

--

**A/N:** If you don't know what Rocky Mountain Oysters are, Google it. Don't say I didn't warn you.


	4. Chicago Nights

**Chapter 4 – Chicago Nights**

**DISC: **the usual.  
**A/N:** Caution: Increased Fluff Level Ahead! Not a lot of plot development going on here, this is more of a foller chapter.. I want Fluff! I've been in a sappy place since "Stuck on You". (Can you blame me? LOL ) I tried to keep it semi-realistic, but if you don't like fluff, just skim this one. If you like fluff, well – right on! And enjoy!

* * *

It was slightly after 6 o clock when Lindsay and Danny walked into the hotel lobby. Lindsay approached the front desk, where a blond girl about seventeen sat, filing her purple nails and snapping her gum. At their approach, she looked right past Lindsay and beamed at Danny. "Can I help you, sir?"

Lindsay cleared her throat softly. "We have reservations."

"Last name?" The girl's eyes, rimmed in heavy black liner, were still glued to Danny. _Crack, pop,_ went the gum.

He stepped up and slid his driver's license across the counter. "Messer".

"Wow, all the way from New York!" She tossed her golden hair over one shoulder as she surveyed his photo approvingly. Lindsay wanted to slap her.

The clerk, whose nametag read "Nikki", tapped some information into a computer. "Okey-dokey.

And was there a separate reservation for your sister?" She chirped as she nodded in Lindsay's direction.

At that moment, as Lindsay contemplated climbing the desk to strangle the little bimbo, her cell phone rang. She slipped her arm around Danny's waist, and said pointedly, "Honey, you get _our_ room. I'll be right back; I have to take this call." She added under her breath so only he could hear, "Now I can understand how some people are driven to murder."

She smiled sweetly at the clerk. "_Excuse me_."

Lindsay ducked into a hallway to answer her phone. "Hello?"

"Lindsay? Hi, it's Allison. Sorry to call you so late." Allison was her attorney. Lindsay's heart skipped a beat.

"No, that's okay - we just got to Chicago and are staying the night. What's up?"

"Well, I don't want to freak you out," Allison said. "But don't talk to the press when you get here."

"The PRESS!" Lindsay asked, startled. "How is the press involved?"

"They're all over this story. You know as well as I do that your grandparents were like local celebrities. Now your cousin and uncle are really milking it. They gave an interview to the Bozeman Sun yesterday, and WHLN TV is set to do a story on the 6 o clock news. They're ranting about 'preserving the Monroe family fortune'."

Lindsay groaned. "This just keeps getting worse and worse."

"Ignore it. I'm serious." Allison warned. "That's why I called you – you don't want to fall into their trap. Let me handle making a statement to the press. If anyone approaches you when you arrive, tell them 'no comment'".

"Are people actually buying this garbage?"

"Despite your relatives having friends in high places, I don't think so. They're digging their own grave, Lindsay. People will see them for what they really are – gold diggers, that is."

"Thanks for the warning, Allison. I'll see you in a few days." Lindsay clicked her cell phone shut. She massaged her temples and tried to squelch the rising panic and dread within her.

Suddenly, she felt a warm breath on her ear, " 'Honey'? I like the sound of that. And you know it's every guy's fantasy to have two women fight over him."

She forced a smile, deciding not to tell Danny about the latest bombshell. Her burdens shouldn't be his. Instead, she hooked her arm around his and said "Let's go to our room. I'm exhausted."

They walked back through the lobby towards the elevators, and Lindsay was mindful of the clerk's jealous gaze. In return, she flashed the girl an enormous, haughty smile. _Take that, you little twit_, she thought.

As they stepped onto the elevator, Danny's finger reached out towards the 3rd floor button. Lindsay stopped him.

"Oh no, let _me_ press the buttons. We all know what happed last time you hit the wrong one!" They both laughed, remembering the panic room incident.

"I told you a million times, I thought it was the light switch." Danny winked at her. "But I wouldn't mind being trapped for thirteen hours again, if I was with you."

"No way! I hate elevators." Lindsay said, taking a gulp of air as the doors buzzed shut.

"The Great Lindsay Monroe is claustrophobic?" Danny responded, honestly surprised.

Lindsay nodded, a bit embarrassed. She gripped the rail as the elevator lurched upward. "Yup. I hate airplanes too. And snakes. And thunderstorms."

The doors opened to floor 3, revealing a hallway warmly decorated in tones of gold and hunter green. Lindsay dashed out of the confines of the elevator, exhaling sharply with relief.  
They checked door numbers out loud. "315, 318, 320… ahh, here we go. Room 324."

Lindsay noticed Danny's hand tremble slightly as he tried to swipe the keycard. _Probably from all the driving_, she thought.

"Here, I got it." She took the card from him and slid it through the slot. With a beep, the door unlocked. Lindsay pushed it open, and then gasped.

"_Oh my gosh_."

The room was dark, but taper candles spread throughout the room cast a dreamy glow. The king-size bed was draped in crimson satin, and covered with pink and ivory rose petals.

She whirled to look at Danny, who was looking extremely pleased with himself. "You! How did you arrange this?"

"I'm a resourceful guy." He shrugged nonchalantly. "All it took was a phone call and some planning."

She threw her arms around his neck, squashing him with a hug. "All this, just for me? Why?"

"I know you've been going through a lot lately. We had a long day, and I wanted tonight to be just for us." He paused, licked his lips, and looked at the floor. When he got that expression, he reminded her of a Basset Hound puppy.  
"Look, I'm not the kinda guy to write love songs or talk mushy about my feelings. But I wanted you to know how much I care about you."

Lindsay felt delirious warmth spread from her heart outward. She wondered if she would melt into a puddle. "You don't have to say it, Danny. You show me every day."

He smirked at her. "I can think of another way I'd like to show you." His lips met hers and several minutes passed. They still stood in the doorway, their overnight bags at their feet.

She stopped him by gently pushing on his chest. "What about dinner?"

"Room Service is taking care of that, too. But not for another _hour_." He nibbled her earlobe, and pulled her inside the room. The door clicked shut behind them.

They collapsed side-by-side on the bed, their taut limbs grateful for the cozy softness. Danny took off his shirt, revealing the white tank top underneath. Lindsay rubbed two rose petals between her palms, releasing their heady fragrance. "We drove twelve hours today. Wow."

Danny closed his eyes, fatigued. "You don't gotta remind me of that."

She rolled over and lay on top of him. Pretending his chest was a map, she traced her pinky across it. "We started _here_, then went this way," she said, swirling her nails over his torso. "Then we went this way, but had to turn around," she looped her finger in a circle on his stomach. From there she moved her fingers dangerously lower. Danny's breath caught and a noise close to a whimper escaped his lips.

"You are one naughty, naughty girl," he said thickly.

"Let me show you just how _naughty_ I can be," she responded.

* * *

They were both flushed, sweaty, and winded when a knock sounded at the door.

"Room Service!"

Danny cursed. Lindsay, giggling, wrapped herself in the satin sheet and tried to stand up. "Just leave it!" she called to the doorman. Danny's arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back down to the bed.

"It's going to get cold," she argued, feigning annoyance at his groping.

"Do you care?" He grinned.

"Not really." She grinned back.

* * *

Later, they shared their cold dinner at a table by the window. The candles had almost burnt themselves out, and rose petals were now _everywhere_. Looking out onto the ice-encrusted Lake Michigan, Lindsay remarked, "It's too bad we don't have time to really explore these places. We should do this again, you know. Maybe in the summer?"

Danny regarded her thoughtfully. "That's not a bad idea." He was a New Yorker to the core, but he would have followed Lindsay to the ends of the earth.

Shortly thereafter, they both crawled into bed. Tomorrow was going to be another grueling, long day.

"Good night," she whispered into the darkness.

"Good night." He had already started to drift off, and his response was so soft, she could barely hear him.

But twenty minutes later, Lindsay was still awake.

"Are you awake?" she hissed loudly. Danny only grunted, so she poked his back.

"Danny?"

Nothing. She poked again.

He flipped over to face her. "What?" he grumbled.

She liked studying his face when he wasn't wearing glasses. His eyelashes were so long, and his cheekbones looked more defined. Strangely, he almost seemed like a different person.

Thinking back to the desk clerk, she said to Danny, "What am I to you?"

He frowned. "Do you really gotta ask that?"

She toyed with his dog tags, twisting the chain and winding it around her finger.

"No, I just mean that girl down there got me thinking. "_Girlfriend_" just doesn't seem like it encompasses enough. What am I?"

He drew her to him so their noses were touching. Of all the women he had been with physically, he had only been truly _intimate_ with Lindsay.

"What are you to me? Sunshine," he whispered in her ear. "Springtime. Heaven. Magic. Flowers in winter. Heat. Christmas Eve every day. Fireworks."

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. His voice was music, the sweetest lullaby, and soon Lindsay was fast asleep.

* * *

Lindsay was sorry that she had requested a 6am wakeup call. It was a courtesy offered by the hotel, but little did she know that Nikki, the irritating girl from the night before, would be back on shift.

"Good morning! This is Nikki at the front desk with your Thursday morning WAKE UP CALL!" she bellowed into the phone. Lindsay didn't bother to mutter a thanks before slamming the phone back into the cradle.

She pressed her ice-cold foot against Danny's calf, shocking him awake.

"Your jailbait girlfriend called".

"Nah," he reached over and embraced her. "She's not really my type." He wrapped her in his arms and nestled his face against her neck. "Let's just stay like this, all day."

"I thought you don't cuddle," she laughed, remembering the story of his case with Stella from last fall.

"What can I say, you've reformed me. I'm a born-again cuddler".

Lindsay laughed. "Mmm, that's tempting, but we can't." She squirmed out of his grasp. "Wisconsin is waiting. Now, don't make me get out the electric cattle prod."

"Cattle prod? Man! You can take the girl outta Montana…" Danny's complaint was instantly muffled by the pillow Lindsay threw at his face.

* * *

**A/N:** Ok, sorry, I had to get all that sugar out of my system before I went into diabetic shock! LOL Hope I didn't make anyone nauseous, hehe. Next chapters will return to more adventure and (slightly) less sap.  
Sneak Peak of what's ahead in coming chapters:  
A third "traveler" joins Lindsay and Danny.  
Lindsay reveals something big about her past.

Changing a tire in the snow.

Four words: Danny rides a horse. Enough said.


	5. Confessions Great & Small

**Chapter 5 – Confessions Great & Small**

**DISC:** Don't sue me. Grammar errors in Danny's dialogue are _supposed_ to be there. The lug wrench line is a mockery of the scene from "Wasted". I stole it like the shameless hussy that I am. I know Anna is older, but I have given Lindsay the age of 27.  
**A/N:** This is a long one – sorry! Future chapters will not be _quite_ so lengthy.  
--

As the morning dawned and they left Chicago behind, Danny and Lindsay encountered much better weather. Yesterday's dreary mix of rain and snow had given way to sunshine and warmer temperatures. The change left Lindsay feeling chipper as she gazed out the passenger window.

"So," she said brightly to Danny. "Tell me something I don't know about you."

"Like what?" he asked, still groggy as he nursed his coffee with one hand, the other hand on the wheel. He wasn't one for early morning discussions, especially before 8am.

Lindsay shook her head. "You are _no_ fun. Tell me something interesting about you that I didn't already know."

"Why don't you start by telling me what you already know," he suggested, dodging the question for now.

"Hmm. Well, I know you're a blanket hog. I know you like sugar, but no cream, in your coffee. I know you grew up in the Bronx. I know you played in a band once."

"I'm not a blanket hog!" Danny protested indignantly.

"You _so_ are. I never get any covers!" Lindsay ribbed him. "One morning you're going to wake up and find me frozen stiff. You'll see - Hammerback will declare it hypothermia."

She continued on, "Now, are you going to tell _me_ something?"

He shook his head. "Why don't you tell me stuff about you instead."

Lindsay contemplated a moment before answering.

"I know how to milk a goat," she said. Danny wrinkled up his nose like a child being presented with a plate of green beans.

"I was the last kid in my kindergarten class to learn how to tie my shoes. But I was the first to count to one hundred.

I went on my first date when I was fourteen. He took me to a rodeo."

Danny dissolved into guffaws of laughter.

"Are you finished?" Lindsay glared at him. "Hey, at least I'm making an attempt at conversation here."

"Sorry," Danny sputtered.

"_Anyway_. When I was nineteen, I spent the summer as an intern at Glacier National Park. I taught the 'Be Bear Aware' safety course to campers."

He interrupted her with a look of horror. "Great, I gotta be worried about being eaten by a grizzly while we're out here?"

"Bears are _hibernating_ this time of year, you wimp." Lindsay goaded, then prompted him; "Come on, your turn. Tell me something about your family."

"I gotta brother." Danny kept his eyes on the road, his voice evasive and his face expressionless.

"You do? What's his name?" Lindsay was pleasantly surprised at how easy this tidbit came.

"Louie".

Looking out the window at the continuous parade of barns and pastures, Danny remarked, "There sure are a lot of farms out this way, eh?" It was his way of saying the conversation was over.

_Oh well_, Lindsay thought. _It's progress_.  
--

As they made their way across Wisconsin, the sunny sky once again began to turn gray and ominous. Six miles outside of Eau Clair, snow began to fall. Lindsay, who had taken over driving, surveyed the sky worriedly. They had left Chicago about four hours earlier. "We should stop for a break soon," she suggested. "Maybe this will blow ov-"

_THUNK THUNK THUNK_

A loud clunking, slapping sound interrupted her. "Something's wrong with the car." She frowned as the steering wheel vibrated in her hands.

Danny looked in the side mirror, craning his neck. "Damn! We gotta flat tire!"

Lindsay pulled carefully to the shoulder, turned off the ignition, and slapped the steering wheel in frustration.

"Of all the times for this to happen! Are you any good with a lug wrench?" she asked, looking over at him.

Danny puffed out his chest in response. "Am I good with a lug wrench? What kind of question is that?"

They donned their coats and stepped out into the squall. Snow whirled around them and nipped at their skin. Lindsay rummaged under the suitcases in the rear of the SUV, and located the jack and lug wrench. Danny unhooked the spare tire from the tailgate door, grunting at the weight of it.

They kneeled together next to the car, in the slick accumulation of snow and ice.

Danny peeled off the hubcap, set it aside and began working to loosen the first lug nut. It wouldn't budge.

"It's too tight. My fingers are numb from the cold," he grumbled, aggravated.

"Don't be a baby," Lindsay snapped impatiently, taking the wrench from his hands. "Watch a woman work."In a flash, she had loosened the four lug nuts.

Danny beamed with pride. "Wow! Were you on a pit crew or something?"

"I'm good with my hands." In spite of the tense situation, she chuckled. "You of all people should know _that_." She reached over and squeezed his thigh.

Danny grinned, "Yeah, I do."  
He helped her mount the spare tire to the wheel, holding it securely as Lindsay tightened the lugs, then replaced the hubcap. After taking down the jack, Danny checked his watch. "Not bad. Only took us about… fifteen minutes."

Lindsay chewed her lip and glanced at the small tire with concern. "Well, it's only a doughnut spare. It will take us a limited distance. We'll have to find a mechanic and get a new tire."

The snow, heavy and wet, was falling even harder and stinging their skin. She tugged Danny into the refuge of the back seat. Reaching into her suitcase, she pulled out a towel and began tenderly rubbing his face, neck, and arms dry. Her teeth were chattering, and Danny grabbed another towel to reciprocate her actions. The heat blasting from the car vents soon slowed their shivering. Lindsay glanced at their clothes, still soaking, and checked the map.

"We're almost in Minnesota. Let's stop in St. Paul to eat and change clothes."  
--

Danny sat alone at a table in the restaurant, shredding his napkin and looking out at the slush covered parking lot. The heavy snowfall had ceased, and peeks of sun shone through the clouds. He looked around the restaurant impatiently for Lindsay. Her cell phone had rung, and she had disappeared into the foyer to answer it.

Finally he saw her returning to their table, and immediately noticed the look of distress on her face.

"What's up?" he inquired.

"Nothing," Lindsay shrugged. She tossed her cell phone back in her purse, and sat down. She focused intently on the glass of iced tea in front of her.

"It doesn't look like _nothing_."

"I'm just tired," she replied, an edge to her voice.

Danny frowned, a little frustrated, but mostly just worried about her. He decided to wait until they were back in the car to press further.  
--

Lindsay was driving as they headed to the North Dakota border. The sun had started its descent in the western sky, a curtain of red closing on the day. Danny chose this time to confront her. He took a deep breath.

"I need to know what we're getting into here, Lindsay. I came to help you, and in order to do that, I gotta know the truth."

Lindsay hesitated, then sighed. "You mean… about my family?"

"You know what I mean. Please talk to me, Lindsay."

She shook her head, but when their eyes met, an understanding passed between them. The wall Lindsay had built began to weaken a little as she felt her resistance waning.

Then the damn burst. Words began to flow.

And for the next hour, she talked. She told him everything.

She told him of growing up with a father who was cold, distant, and controlling. Of how she would lay awake at night, trembling in her bed, as she heard her parents scream at each other. Edward Monroe was well-liked in the community, but to his daughter and wife, he was frighteningly volatile.

She told Danny about the one thing she had never spoken of in nearly twenty years: her younger brother. He listened in dismay at her description of the accident that July day – the inquisitive 4-year-old Michael, with huge brown eyes like hers. They had been fishing, the perfect acitivity for a sweltering Montana afternoon. He had been leaning over to look in the water, when the boat rocked. There was only a splash and then silence. The divers arrived within thirty minutes. In an hour, they were dredging the lake. Lindsay had been eight at the time, wandering the shore and praying fervently, listening to the chilling wails of her mother and hum of activity from the search and rescue team. Her eye caught a flash of something entangled in the algae. It was Michael's shoe.

His death was the catalyst for the blame, sorrow, fury, and resentment that was to touch every Monroe. Her innocence had died with her brother.

She spoke of trying to come to peace with her father as he wasted away from cancer. What it was like to try to make up for twelve years of estrangement in just three months. How he looked like a ghost even hours _before_ his death. She told Danny what it was like at the funeral, to watch her stoic grandmother, ever the matriarch figure, weep with her head resting on the pew. In her small town, she had returned to school amid the whispers of sympathy. Even today, she hated to be the one people felt sorry for.

She spoke of how the rift in her family gaped even more after her father's death. Her mother used the life insurance money for trips, a fancy car, any little whim that could dull the grief. The money was gone in two years, leaving them financially destitute. Lindsay had gotten a job at 14, working six hours after school each day. Her father's side of the family began to resent her mother for this, and Lindsay was forced to be her staunch defender. Still the family drifted apart.

Lindsay told Danny about how her mother began taking prescription pills to numb the pain. She was either a maniac or a zombie, predictably unpredictable, and Lindsay tiptoed around her. She told him of the night her mother left, disappearing in the darkness. Lindsay was sixteen, a sophomore in high school. She had gotten up in the morning, and when she called to ask her mother if she could borrow her pink sweater, there was no response. Just a dark empty room, and a note telling Lindsay she would be better off without her. From that day, Lindsay lived on her own, supported financially by her grandparents, but supported emotionally by no one.

When Lindsay was in college, her grandparents' health began to deteriorate. Their will was tweaked and prepared for what they all knew was inevitable, and she was to be allotted 50 of the total inheritance. Her cousin Rachel, who had once been like a sister, had started to resent Lindsay because of her imminent wealth.

Danny listened as she told him of how her family expected her to become a doctor. How she faced the constant pressure of living up to their expectations – attend an Ivy League, marry young, have children, make good money. After all, she came from a family of successful attorneys, engineers, physicians.

Instead, she became a CSI because of her endless pursuit of the answer to just one question, one that could never really be answered… _why?_

Death had taken her brother, parents, and grandparents. Greed had stolen the rest of her family. Everyone deserted her; her entire life was stitched with the thread of loss. At only 27, she was utterly and wholly alone.

Lindsay spoke faster as she went along, and began having trouble catching her breath as the words intermixed with tears. Jerking the steering wheel towards the shoulder, she slowed down and pulled over. Leaning her head against the wheel, she sobbed so hard, releasing all the strain and fear that had built up inside of her and clogged her heart.

"This is what I know for sure," she choked out. "Life is about people hurting you, and leaving you. That's how it always goes. And I'm so scared of losing you, too."

Danny swiftly twisted and crouched on the passenger seat. He leaned across the center console to hold Lindsay, and rock her in his arms.  
"Lindsay," he said into her hair, his heart breaking right along with hers. "I understand that feeling 'cause I have been there. I know you've been alone a long time, and I have been too. Trust me, Lindsay, I know what it's like to be abandoned".

He cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.  
"But no more. It ends here. You don't gotta worry 'cause I'm not leaving you. Not ever".

For ten minutes they sat clinging to each other, watching headlights pass, the car shaking every time a truck rolled by. Lindsay continued to weep, and Danny felt himself well up with emotion. He tried to shake it off. "Let's go find a motel, Linds."

"We're off schedule, we're not supposed to stop until Bismarck. We need a new tire." She hiccupped. They were only in Fargo, about three hours short.

"You're in no shape to travel right now. You need to rest. We'll take care of the tire in the morning." He stroked her cheek, noticing that her tears had ceased. "Do you feel better?"

"Some," was all she could muster.

"Good, 'cause I'm starting to get real uncomfortable here." Trying contort his body back into the seat, he cracked his head on the overhead light. "Ouch!"

He rubbed his head and started to open his door. "Come on, let's switch. I'll drive."  
As they met walking around the back of the vehicle, Danny caught her in an embrace and kissed her cheek three times.

Lindsay had never been more relieved than when they pulled into the parking lot fifteen minutes later, under the blinking "Vacancy" light.  
--

**A/N:** There are a million possibilities as to what Lindsay's "dark past" was. I have about a thousand ideas myself. And this was just one of them.


	6. Go Greyhound

**Disclaimer:** the usual legal mumbo jumbo.  
**A/N:** the chapter is much lighter fare, given the last chapter. I'm trying to slow it down, but I'm so anxious to get them to their destination… I have lots of ideas for what's going to happen in Montana! ;)

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Go Greyhound**

Danny awoke before dawn. The motel room window faced the highway, and every so often he was blinded by a passing headlight. When they had checked in the night before, the manager had warned them that this was the only room available. Lindsay had been so exhausted; they were willing to accept anything. After the emotional moments in the car, they were grateful for the close quarters of the twin-sized bed, and clung tight to each other all night. But now, thanks to the uncomfortably small mattress, Danny's body was stiff and sore. He tried to avoid waking Lindsay, because he loved watching her sleep. He loved to study her delicate features and listen to her breathe. Her face was still slightly puffy from crying, and her eyes were shadowed with dark circles. Regardless, he thought she was the most exquisite thing on the planet. Despite his efforts to resist it, a muscle cramp in his leg caused him to writhe, and he felt her stir.

She opened her eyes to see him watching over her. "Hey you," she murmured sleepily.

"Hey yourself," he brushed her chin with his thumb. "We don't gotta be up yet. You should go back to sleep."

"No…" she muttered. "We should get started. Only ten hours until Bozeman, we can be there this evening." She rose up on her elbows, trying to fight the urge to fall back to sleep. Spilling her secrets the night before had truly drained her.

Danny spoke, "Well, since you're up, I have something for you." He slid out of bed and into a nearby chair, grabbing his overnight bag. Lindsay, still groggy, sat up and eyed him curiously. After rummaging through it, he pulled out a rectangular, black velvet box. "I was going to save this for when we got to Montana, _but_…."

Lindsay smiled as she accepted the box, humbled by the fact that he had bought her a gift. "Danny, you shouldn't have done this…" her voice trailed off.

"Just open it," he instructed. He looked at her sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing one of his shirts, her hair tousled and her eyes bleary. To him, she had never looked more beautiful.

She lifted the lid and gasped. Inside was a stunning gold necklace, and hanging from it was a tiny pendant of…

a_ tiger_.

Lindsay laughed, touched and humored at the same time. "Where on earth did you find this? It's perfect!"

He grinned. "I told you, I'm a resourceful guy." He moved over to sit next to her. "That's what you are. You're a tiger. I knew it from the day we met."

She lifted her hair, messy and tangled from sleep, up to the crown of her head so Danny could fasten the necklace. She smiled as she saw the little tiger swinging over her heart.

"Thank you so much." She paused, and then added, "You've been my rock this week."

She had a sudden image of Danny from that very day at the zoo. He had told her specifically to call Mac "sir", but when she did, Mac had told her _not_ to. When she had turned to look at Danny accusingly, he was standing there innocently, swatting away flies. The thought made her smile. That day, she never could have guessed that several months later, she would be sharing a bed with him, or driving across the country, _or_ telling him her darkest secrets.

Fingering the miniature tiger, symbolic of how they met, she chuckled. "We've come a long way, baby".

* * *

An hour later, they were on the road again. Danny drove as Lindsay combed through a ratty phone book, searching for a mechanic.

Danny cleared his throat and spoke up quietly. "I misjudged you."

"What do you mean?" she looked up, confused.

"When you first came to New York. I thought you were a spoiled brat, with a perfect life. I'm sorry."

Lindsay shrugged, nonplussed by this revelation. "I misjudged you, too. I thought you were a wise-ass street punk who was intimidated by a strong woman."

Danny laughed. "Maybe that wasn't so off base. But if it makes you feel better, I did think you were stunningly beautiful."

Lindsay grinned, "I did admit to myself that you were hot, even though you were a jerk to me!" She added, serious now, "Last night I told you things I never told anyone. Not even the battery of shrinks my grandparents sent me to."

Danny reached over to squeeze her hand. "Well, no matter what happened when we first met, we found each other for a reason. I believe in fate."

* * *

Leroy's Auto Service Station, in Jamestown ND, looked like something out of an Old West movie. Just walking up to the door made Lindsay's skin crawl. But, it was the only place for miles that carried the type of tire her car needed.

"Hello?" she called out, stepping into the vacant office. A messy desk sat to the right of the door, and a magazine featuring scantily-clad women posing on hot rods lay open, face up.

"Howdy," the mechanic appeared from behind a door, and flashed a grin at Lindsay. He was missing most of his teeth. The name 'Jimbo' was embroidered on his shirt. "What can I do for you, missy?"

"We're traveling from New York," Lindsay explained. "My Lincoln Navigator got a flat last night. It has the doughnut spare on right now, but I need to have a new tire put on. Do you have time this morning?"

"Be happy to, Sugar," he drawled. He reached out to shake her hand, his palm greasy and calloused. "Name's Jimbo. Me and my brother Leroy run this place. It ain't often we get pretty little fillies like yourself in here."

Next to her, she felt Danny bristle. Lindsay, however, enjoyed it. _Now he knows what it feels like_, she thought, remembering the colorful Chicago desk clerk. She batted her eyelashes and beamed. "Thank you so much!" she gushed, handing Jimbo her keys.

"Gimme twenty minutes or so, and I'll have you on your way," he winked.

Danny and Lindsay wandered out to the front of the station to wait, where about five cars sat in multiple stages of repair. The red prairie dust had settled over them like a blanket. Someone had doodled with their fingertip "Welcome to Nowhere" on the hood of a Honda. _That's the truth_, Danny thought, feeling like a fish out of water as he surveyed the landscape.

Suddenly, Lindsay noticed movement underneath one of the cars, a rusted Ford pickup missing a windshield. She first saw the two beady eyes, then a flash of gray and white. She gasped. "There's a _dog_ under there!"

She and Danny squatted down in the dirt to get a better look under the vehicle.

"Poor baby," Lindsay murmured, kneeling down to look at the dog. "I wonder who she belongs to? Hi, sweetie." Cooing softly, she persuaded the dog to inch a little closer to her outstretched palm. Tentatively, the dog slid forward until her long, narrow head and front paws were exposed.

"She's a Greyhound." Lindsay smiled, and began to ramble off facts. "They're one of the oldest breeds of dogs. Egyptians worshipped them. Henry VIII kept a kennel full of them. They hunt by sight, and can run up to 45 miles per hour. "

Danny's eyes glazed over. "Uh-huh. And here I thought a Greyhound was just a _bus_."

"Guess you didn't grow up with pets," Lindsay said, still not taking her eyes off the dog.

"Sure I did. I had a goldfish," he shot back.

Over the next several minutes, Lindsay convinced the dog to come out completely from the cover of the truck. Soon Jimbo came out to join them, dangling Lindsay's keys in front of him. "Got her all fixed up for ya, Sweets. She's ready to roll."

"Is she yours?" Lindsay asked, pointing to the dog.

"Naw, she belongs to Leroy's second cousin. He hit a deer and it cracked the windshield on her." He nodded as he looked at the old pickup that had been the dog's refuge.

Lindsay ignored Danny's snickers behind her, and rephrased her question to Jimbo.  
"No, no, no. Not the truck. I mean the dog. Is _she_ yours?"

"Nope." He jerked his thumb towards the road. "There's a dog racing track up there. She's been here over a week now, probably escaped. I been throwing her some of my leftovers from lunch. But with these cold nights, she ain't gonna make it much longer." He shrugged, and went back to writing out their bill on the clipboard he was holding.

Lindsay dug in her purse for her wallet, and then extended it to Danny. "Can you go pay? I want to stay here a minute."

Danny and Jimbo went back inside the station, and Lindsay settled herself down on the ground. She didn't think of the dirt that would be covering her black pants when she stood up. The dog crawled out farther, until her head was resting in Lindsay's lap. She shivered slightly, from equal parts fear and North Dakota chill. She was thin, even for a Greyhound. Lindsay stroked the dog's head, murmuring softly. She looked into the liquidy dark eyes and felt a connection, a responsibility. When Danny's shadow fell over them, she knew what she had to do. She stood up to face him.

"Well, we gotta get going." He nodded towards the car, the letters on the new tire blinding white.

Lindsay put her hands on her hips and lifted her chin, ready for battle. "I'm not leaving her".

Danny shook his head. "Well, we can't exactly take her with us."

"Why not?" She challenged.

"Lindsay," he said evenly. "We can't take a dog in the car with us. We still have eight hours til we get to Bozeman. She'll need to be walked and fed and she's dirty." He tried to ignore the pleading gaze of both Lindsay and the dog. "She's not our problem."

She pointed her finger at him. "I thought you believed in fate? You said so just this morning. This dog _found us_, Danny. I thought we both believe in what's meant to be?"

Danny, exasperated, held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. He knew when Lindsay had him backed into a corner. "Okay, okay. We'll take her to Bozeman and drop her off at the animal shelter there," he said grudgingly.

Placated for the moment, Lindsay pecked his cheek. "Thank you".

Jimbo helped them fashion a leash out of rope, and they thanked him and said their goodbyes. The lean Greyhound ambled easily along with them, hopping into the car with little convincing.

* * *

In the car, the dog settled down immediately in the backseat, using Lindsay's coat as a makeshift bed. They were nearing Bismarck, and watching the flat plains stretch endlessly in all directions, when Lindsay had a brainstorm. "You know what we have to name her?"

"We're not naming her," Danny replied. "Because we're not keeping her."

Lindsay groaned. "Well, she needs a name for now. We can't keep calling her 'The Dog'. Now _guess_. What's the perfect name for her?"

Danny was, as usual, clueless. "Stella?" he suggested.

"No! Think about it… I'll give you a hint. She's such a _doll_, and we know nothing about her… she has lots of _secrets_."

The light bulb flashed in Danny's head. He remembered that case they worked together, when he had first started falling for Lindsay.

They exchanged grins and said in unison:

"Sophie!"

* * *

**A/N:** There you have it – the mysterious 'third passenger'! I could not write a fic without including a 4-legged character. Writing and D/L are fun, dogs are my passion. Still to come:  
-Fun with Sophie  
-arrival in Montana (finally!)  
-Family "Conflama" (conflict + drama)  
-Danny on a horse is still coming (judging from the feedback I have received, that is reason enough to read this fic!)  
-Lindsay, Danny, and a fireplace equals major heat


	7. Montana at Last

**Disclaimer** – usual.  
**A/N:** OK, this is a weird chapter, I'll warn you. I opted to "hurry up" the last leg of their journey, so this is a transition (aka "filler") chapter. I'm not sure I like it, but the next chapters will be better, I promise. :)

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Montana at Last**

The Montana border grew nearer, and Lindsay's excitement grew higher. As she drove, each mile closer to home made her smile larger. Despite the impending family strife, her mood had definitely elevated. Taking care of Sophie gave her something to focus on instead of her problems. Back in Bismarck, they had stopped at a pet store for some necessary – as well as _unnecessary_ – items:

"She goes from sleeping under a truck to sleeping on a leopard-print, faux-sheepskin bed." Danny grumbled, turning to look in the backseat. Sophie was cuddled up on the bed, nuzzling her brand new squeaky teddy bear. "You'll turn her into a diva."

Lindsay gaped at him, "Are you jealous of a _dog_?"

Before he could respond, Sophie leaned forward towards Danny, as if she knew he was talking about her. They regarded each other for a moment, nose to nose. Then, without warning, she slurped his face.

Lindsay giggled. "That's her way of thanking you. You're her _hero_!"

He was mopping off his glasses when Lindsay's cell phone rang. She snapped it open.

"Hello?"

"Lindsay Monroe?" A male voice questioned.

She hesitated before answering, instantly alert. "Yes?"

"This is Steve Marks from the Bozeman Daily Record again. I'd like you to reconsider that interview regarding your family's estate."

Danny eyed her curiously, wondering who had called. Lindsay's face darkened, and she said angrily, "I told you, stop calling me! I'm not interested in talking to you."

"Ma'am, the town deserves to hear your side of the story. Not everyone buys the story your cousin Rachel is feeding us. I'm on your side, here. We just want to come out and ask some questions."

"I _know_ how the local media wants to portray me. Rachel has you all under her thumb."

"I think you might be surprised," he responded. "Please, Ms. Monroe, just agree to meet with me."

"I told you yesterday, I have no comment."

She flipped her phone shut and cursed. Danny did not press for an explanation, he simply waited.

"That was the newspaper," she said after a few seconds of silence. "They want to interview me about everything that's going on. This reporter guy claims to be interested in _my_ story." She rolled her eyes and sighed, her good mood crushed for the moment.

"You know," Danny said thoughtfully. "Maybe you should do it. Get your story out there and make them look bad. Fight fire with fire, ya know?"

"Rachel is using this to generate publicity. She's always loved being the spotlight. That's not my style." Lindsay shook her head, but Danny's suggestion nagged at her.

_Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea after all_.

* * *

Danny had dozed off in the passenger seat when Lindsay's shrieks awoke him. "We're here!" He noticed the huge wooden sign on the side of the road:

**WELCOME TO MONTANA  
BIG SKY COUNTRY  
_Oro y plata_  
State tree: Ponderosa Pine  
State animal: Grizzly bear  
State bird: Western Meadowlark**

Lindsay abruptly pulled over to the shoulder of the highway.  
"What are you doing?" Danny asked suspiciously, still groggy.

"Get out," she instructed, turning off the ignition and pulling out her digital camera. "I want to take your picture by the sign with Sophie".

"You're not serious! That's such a _tourist_ thing, Linds. Not gonna happen!" He argued.

"Do you want to walk to Bozeman?" She asked sweetly, snapping Sophie's new pink leash to her new pink collar. "It's only about 300 miles. I can be there in a few hours. Walking, well, you might be there in a week. That's if you don't get trampled by a bull moose."

Danny grumbled, climbed out of the car, and the three of them walked up to the towering sign. She positioned them, making Danny kneel with his arm around the dog. Then she ran back several feet with her camera.

"Okay, now, smile!" Lindsay chirped.

"This is ridiculous," he moaned as Sophie tried to lick his face again.

"Humor me!" she called, aiming the camera.

"The things I do for you," he said.

But he was smiling after all.

* * *

The last several hours of the trip dragged and dragged. They took turns driving and napping, with little conversation. Both Lindsay and Danny were exhausted from riding in a car for nearly three days, all while adjusting to time zone changes.

By the time they reached Bozeman Pass, at an altitude of 5,712 feet, Lindsay was in command of the wheel again. Danny felt his stomach lurch as they sailed around the side of the mountain. Lindsay was taking the road like a seasoned racecar driver.

"Whoa there, Earnhardt, take it easy!" Danny cautioned, a tiny squeak in his voice. "I'd like to arrive in one piece."

"There's no speed limit here," she assured him. "Didn't you see the sign? 'Reasonable and prudent speeds' during daylight hours."

"That makes me feel _so_ much better," he groaned.

* * *

When, after three days and roughly 1,800 miles, they pulled into the driveway of Cornerstone Ranch Bed & Breakfast, Danny and Lindsay were beyond relieved.

The farm was bordered by a dense forest on three sides, and a rippling creek on the fourth side. A beautiful white farmhouse stood at the end of the evergreen-lined driveway. Spotted Texas Longhorn cattle dotted the field, and horses lounged in the paddock outside the barn. As they stopped the car in front of the house, Lindsay checked her watch. It was 4:03pm, they had made great time. She and Danny climbed out and stretched their legs, inhaling the cleansing mountain air.

"It's so…. isolated." Danny looked around in awe. For him, it was like being tossed inside a photography book.

"I prefer the term 'solitary'," Lindsay joked, beaming. "Welcome to my world."

Sophie sniffed around as they unloaded their luggage, investigating the novel scents of the ranch. But with just a call from Lindsay, she turned and followed them to the front door. On the doorstep, Lindsay located the spare key under a pot, and unlocked the door.

"Wow," was the best response Danny could muster as they stepped inside the large family room. Even though rustic was not his style, he had to admit it was gorgeous. The room was decorated with maroons and golds, plush ivory carpets, complete with two cozy overstuffed sofas (of which Sophie instantly claimed) and a brick fireplace. The interior was Western pastoral, with both antiqued wood and wrought-iron fixtures. It smelled of cinnamon, fir boughs, and leather.

"We have this whole place to ourselves! Let's go upstairs and pick a room," Lindsay suggested, dropping her suitcase and pulling Danny by the hand up the winding staircase.

They ultimately chose a bedroom that had an arched ceiling and canopy bed. A small private deck was attached through French doors, and from the bed you could look out into the woods. They both stood for a few minutes and gazed at the horizon. She leaned into him as he slid his arm around her waist.

"I didn't think it would feel so good to be back," she said softly.

The looming mountains cast a shadow over the ranch, and what little daylight was left had started to wane. Lindsay felt a tightening in her stomach as the reality hit her – she was here for a fight, not a vacation. Regardless, having Danny at her side gave her strength she didn't know she possessed, and as they walked hand and hand back downstairs, she felt thankful.

* * *

A stack of local newspapers lay next to the fireplace. Currently unbeknownst to Lindsay, the Bozeman Daily Record article was included:

**Monroe Money Mayhem**  
_**Local family battles over estate**_

_The passing of Rebecca Monroe, 88, last fall was more than just a sad event for the community. Her will is now at the center of a local uproar. Rebecca was predeceased by her husband, Edward Monroe Sr., and both were well-loved members of Bozeman. Up until their passing, they were active in church, charity, and social functions in town. _

_In most cases, wills are divided evenly between the surviving children. The Monroes' eldest son, Dale N. Monroe of Bozeman, is to inherit half of the estate. This is where the Monroe will gets complicated._

_Their second son Edward Monroe, Jr. passed away in 1989. Therefore, _his_ only surviving child was named as the other heir. Lindsay Elizabeth Monroe, 28, a crime scene investigator who moved to New York City in October, is listed as the second benefactor._

_But Rachel M. Monroe, 34, daughter of Dale and also the assistant DA in Bozeman, is fighting this. She and her father have filed suit to contest the will, claiming 'Undue Influence'. She spoke with Bozeman Daily Record reporter Steve Marks yesterday: _

"_We're simply protecting the interests of the Monroe family. My grandparents worked hard to build a better Bozeman, and we want to keep the money in the town, in responsible hands. They didn't work hard all their lives to give Lindsay a New York City shopping spree." Rachel also claims that Lindsay was supported financially by their grandparents since her father's passing, and manipulated them for money. "They did everything for her," she stated. "And that's enough. We want to use the money to enrich our community further." When asked how they would specifically use the money, Rachel did not have a comment._

_Lindsay Monroe could not be reached for comment. Her attorney, Allison Byers, had this to say on her client's behalf: "This has nothing to do with family honor. This is about greed, pure and simple. I have no doubt that the judge will uphold Mrs. Monroe's will."_

_The arbitration is scheduled for this coming Monday at the Bozeman Courthouse. _

----  
**A/N: **I used both the internet and my own personal photo albums for visual imagery. See visitmt dot com for more. The speed limit thing is true. Better stuff coming!


	8. Old Home Week

**Disc:** same ol', same ol'  
**A/N:** Sorry it's been so long since an update. I vow not to let it go that long again! I was busy last week, and was out enjoying the warmer weather. I wanted to address a question I have gotten in multiple PM's. When is this story going to end? Well, this was meant to be an extensive, lengthy fic. I actually have the ending written already, but for now, I'm in no hurry. I'm enjoying to way too much to rush it. )

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 8 – Old Home Week**

Lindsay daintily nibbled her fingernail as she read the newspaper article. She had started to make a fire in the fireplace, and was crumpling up sheets of newspaper when she saw her surname in the headline. The article wasn't as bad as she thought. It made Rachel sound like a total bitch, and Allison's quote was great. Still, she tossed it into the fire, and watched with satisfaction as it disintegrated into ash.

Danny entered the room, holding a framed photo in his hand. "Who are these good-looking girls?" he asked with a wink. The photo showed two girls in their early twenties; one was petite and pale, with brown hair and those large brown eyes that were so familiar to him. The other was a tall blond, with eyes the color of emeralds and tanned skin.

Lindsay grinned when she saw it.  
"We're total opposites, aren't we? That's Kathi, my best friend. We've known each other since we were two, and her parents own this place. I never would have survived growing up without them. They were my _real_ family." She smiled wistfully as she gently fingered the photo. "Kath lives in Denver now, I haven't seen her since last summer."

She shook off the feeling of sadness before it took hold. "Anyway, let's make dinner – I'm starved."

The B&B's kitchen was enormous, gleaming white with a homey atmosphere. However, the cupboards, refrigerator, and panty were nearly bare. Lindsay searched through them all, frowning. "They haven't had guests in awhile. Everything's empty," she called. "Are you game for some Montana grocery shopping?"

"You mean we don't gotta shoot it and skin it ourselves?" Danny smirked, dodging to avoid her slap.

* * *

In the grocery store, Danny and Lindsay made their way through the aisles, grabbing items while Lindsay filled Danny in on local gossip. 

"See that guy behind the meat counter?" she whispered. "He's been married 30 years, but he had an affair with the secretary at Bozeman Elementary. And that lady there, standing in line? She won the Montana state lottery, but still lives in a beat-up old trailer."

Babbling away, she rammed her cart into another when she went to make a turn. "I'm sorry," she cried automatically, then a smile of recognition crossed her face. "Jake!"

"Lindsay!" The other person was a tall man with jet black hair, well dressed, and he caught Lindsay in a bear hug. "I heard you were coming back."

"Jake, this is Danny," she said as they pulled apart. "Danny, this is Jake, an old friend."

"High school sweetheart is more like it!" grinned Jake, pumping Danny's hand. "We dated for a couple years. But it looks like New York has been good to you, Linds."

"It has," Lindsay assured him. "So, how are you and Beth doing?"

"Great! We're expecting our first kid in May – a boy," he beamed.

Lindsay nodded politely, "That's great. I'm happy for you both."

"What about you? Any plans for settling down and starting a family?" Jake wiggled his eyebrows towards Danny.

Lindsay blushed deeply. She felt certain that Danny was probably horrified. "Uhh, no," she stammered, then awkwardly said, "Well, we'd better get going. Nice to see you, Jake."

He put his hand on her shoulder and lowered his voice. "No one believes the garbage Rachel is feeding to the press, Linds. Everyone's rooting for you, you know."

They said their goodbyes, and Lindsay and Danny continued on.

"Eggs are this way," Lindsay murmured, checking her list.

"LuLu? LuLu MONROE!" squealed a voice.

A gray-haired woman in a checkered housedress, wool overcoat, and muddy boots came barreling towards them. Before Lindsay could respond, she was wrapped up in the woman's arms. When she was finally released, she had to catch her breath.

"Danny, this is Mrs. Owens, our neighbor. She was my baby sitter." Before Danny could respond, the woman grasped him by the shoulders and planted a wet kiss on both his cheeks, leaving the marks of her lipstick.

"Oh honey," gushed Mrs. Owens, turning back to Lindsay. "Don't you worry about a thing. This whole town will simply _riot_ if the judge doesn't rule in your favor. We'll see you Monday in court."

"Wait," Lindsay asked, confused. "You're going to be there? Why"

Mrs. Owens smiled. "LuLu, _everyone_ is going to be there to watch, and cheer you on!"

She gave Lindsay one last squeeze. "Now, I've got to get a move on. You take care of my girl, you hear?" She wagged her finger at Danny, and was gone as quick as she came.

"LuLu?" Danny asked, trying to cover his laugh as they walked on.

"Don't let me ever hear you say that again!" Lindsay warned, practicing her best steely glare, but the sparkle in her eyes gave it away.

"Being with you is like being with a celebrity," he chuckled, trying desperately to wipe the fuchsia smudges from his cheeks.

Danny and Lindsay finished up their shopping and paid for their items. As they walked out the automatic doors with their bags, Lindsay gasped.

"Oh God," she whispered, nodding towards a figure approaching them. "It's Paul. Rachel's husband".

She felt Danny instantly stiffen, and move closer to her. Paul strode up to them confidently, a serpentine smile on his face. At 43, his hair was graying and his face was creased with lines. Rachel had married him for his money and his social status – not his looks. Regardless, arrogance seeped out of his every pore.

"Well, well, well. Look who's back in town. I thought I recognized the car outside."

"Paul." Lindsay addressed him tersely, frozen in place.

"Lindsay." He nodded at her. "You know, I really am sorry it had to come to this. We were willing to compromise, to settle this out of court. I'm sorry you felt the need to let things get so ugly." He tried to make himself appear genuine, but failed miserably.

Lindsay took a deep breath, steadying herself. "I'm not discussing this with you, Paul. It's up to the court now. I'm not giving up."

Paul seemed to notice Danny for the first time, and looked him up and down. "And you are?" he inquired.

Danny, always proud of his badge, flashed it. "Danny Messer, NYPD Detective."

"Oh," Paul said icily, turning to Lindsay once again. "So _that's_ why you took off for the big city. Leaving your family behind for a man." He snorted. "Like mother, like daughter."

Lindsay felt the words like a stab in the gut, and she recoiled back against Danny.

Danny had had enough. He put one arm around Lindsay's shoulder, and the other extended with his palm towards Paul. "That was a cheap shot, buddy," he snapped. "Why don't you just back off, and get out of ours faces before I do something I regret."

The two men eyed each other like raging bulls. "I believe you are out of your jurisdiction, _Detective_." Paul spat. "So don't go ordering me around."

Lindsay, recovered, jumped forward and put her finger in Paul's face.  
"You listen to me," she seethed. "You can attack me all you want to, I don't care, but you leave him out of this." The anger flowed from her. "And when my mother left, it wasn't for a man. It was because the family _chased_ her away. Not that it's any of your business."

She turned to leave, Danny close to her. "Tell your wife I'll see her Monday in court."

* * *

The drive home was quiet, both Danny and Lindsay lost in their thoughts.

"Are you mad?" she asked.

"Mad? Why?"

"You know… the talk of… _stuff_. Marriage and kids."

"No, why would I be mad?" Danny was confused.

"I didn't want you to think that I'm expecting that of you," she said softly. After a pause, she added curiously, "_Do_ you ever think about it?"

Danny shook his head. "I always figured if I had a kid, I would really screw him up. Marriage kinda scares me. I don't know, I don't really think about those things." He licked his lips. "But it doesn't mean I'm gonna freak out if you _talk_ about it."

"I'm sorry," Lindsay sighed. "My father was just really unpredictable. He got mad a lot, and you never knew what to expect from one minute to another."

"Lindsay," he reminded her gently. "I'm not your father."

* * *

Early Saturday morning, Lindsay was standing at the glass doors, looking out at the view. The sun had risen over the mountains, splashing color over the grayness. The night's frost was slowly dissolving into a misty blanket covering the ground. She heard a rustling from the bed, and then was enveloped by the familiar warmth and safety of Danny's arms.

"Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?" she asked, settling back into his embrace.

She was aware of his eyes on _her_ as whispered, "Actually, I have".

He slid the strap of her tank top aside and kissed her shoulder. "Come back to bed."

"Nah," Lindsay teased. "I'm not really sleepy."

He tugged her back towards the bed. "I didn't say we had to _sleep_."

She joined him under the covers, and things had just started to heat up when there was a THUD!...

…a flurry of paws

…and a wet tongue.

"What the hell?" Danny squawked, still lying on his back. Sophie had leapt into the bed, and sat looking at them expectantly as if ready to play. Her wagging tail continually lashed him in the face.

"That's it!" Danny wagged his finger at the dog. "We're taking you to the animal shelter."

"Shut up," Lindsay warned, laughing. "Don't talk like that in front of her. Besides, isn't it every guy's dream to have two women in bed with him?"

"Not when one of them is covered with _fur_," he groaned.

Lindsay, still laughing, sent Sophie out the door and closed it behind her.

"Now," she whispered evilly. "Let's get back to our _undercover_ operation."

* * *

Later that morning, Lindsay convinced Danny to join her in the barn. Her attorney, Allison, was coming over to go over some business, but they had some time to kill. The weather was unusually warm for winter, and the sun was brilliant. They walked down the driveway towards the barn, Sophie trotting at their heels. Lindsay guessed that Danny had forgiven the dog for her earlier transgressions, when she caught him slipping her bites of breakfast.

Pushing open the heavy, creaky barn door, Lindsay was greeted by the sweet scents of hay and horses. Immediately, a dappled gray horse stuck her pink nose over the stall door and nickered. Lindsay walked over and began stroking the long face.

"She was mine," she told Danny proudly. "Her name is Timber, because she's gray like a timber wolf. I had to give her up when I moved to New York. They agreed to take her."

Danny stood by awkwardly, surveying the horse. "She's _huge_".

Lindsay laughed. "She's _not_, though. She's a Quarter Horse! Want to ride?" she asked, knowing the answer but unable to resist ribbing him.

"Nope," he replied. "But you can if you want. I'll just stay here."

Lindsay didn't respond, but she stepped away from the horse and began to ascend a wooden ladder which lead to the hayloft.

"Where you going?" Danny asked suspiciously.

"Just come up here," she answered, gesturing for him to follow her. Danny paused, then climbed up reluctantly. He stood at the top, slapping the dust from his clothes, as Lindsay plopped onto a hay bale and looked around dreamily.

"Isn't it peaceful?" she asked. A few pigeons warbled up the rafters, and the ancient windows shuddered slightly from the breeze. She leaned back on the bale, propping herself up on her elbows. "When I was a kid, I always loved playing in haylofts. It's like your own little private world".

Danny sat on a hay bale a few feet away, and looked around. He didn't see anything wonderfully appealing about being in the loft of a barn: old farm equipment coated in dust, the unavoidable scent of manure wafting up, and probably things like mice and bugs. He definitely preferred New York's version of a "loft".

Danny noticed Lindsay watching him intently. He grinned. "Whaddya looking out?"

"You," she smiled. "I'm thinking how lucky I am to have such a sexy man." She walked over and sat in his lap.

"Don't get any ideas, Farmer Monroe," Danny said warily as she stroked his hair.

Lindsay laughed. "I've never known you to turn down a _roll in the hay_!"

"Not when the invitation is a literal one," he retorted. "I'm itchy just thinking about it."

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of Sophie barking below them, and the distant rumble of an engine. Lindsay hopped out of Danny's lap. "That's Allison!" she said, heading for the ladder. "Let's get down to business."

* * *

**A/N:** Don't worry, he WILL get on the horse. Just not quite yet. It's my job as a writer to keep you all hanging. ;) Thanks for hanging in and still reading!


	9. Unfinished Business

**Disc:** I have done research on the legalities, and have attempted to stay accurate. Please allow some creative license, however. This story is fantasy-based, and the legal stuff bores me. ;)  
**A/N:** OK, here's the scoop on this chapter… what originally was supposed to be chapter 9 was growing HUGE, so I split it into two. Therefore, they're not super-long, and I can go into the detail I need to without fear of putting y'all to sleep. So here is 9, and 10 will follow shortly.

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Unfinished Business**

Allison Byers hopped out of her sleek black BMW, and caught Lindsay in a hug. Allison was two years older than Lindsay, and about five inches taller. As they pulled apart, Allison noticed Sophie dancing excitedly around them.

"What a gorgeous dog! Did you bring her all the way from New York?" Then, noticing Danny, she whispered in Lindsay's ear, "And what a gorgeous _guy_!"

Lindsay laughed, unable to argue. "The dog's name is Sophie – we found her at a North Dakota auto shop." She paused to smile reflectively. "Actually, _she_ found _us_, I like to think."

She introduced Allison and Danny, and then suggested they go in the farmhouse to discuss the case. Danny, however, had other plans.

"I have an errand to run," he told her benignly as he began walking towards the car. "I'll be back later."

A look of concern crept across Lindsay's face. "Where are you going?" she called.

He turned, gave her a cryptic wink and responded, "You'll see… it's a surprise".

Frowning, Lindsay tried to think of what Danny could possibly have up his sleeve.

"Please be careful," she cautioned.

He smiled sweetly at her. "I'm a big boy… I drove across the country with you, I can handle a quick trip to town."

* * *

Lindsay and Allison settled on the spacious, glass-enclosed porch behind the dining room for their meeting. It looked out over the creek and into the dark woods. Given the topic at hand, Lindsay found the view comforting. Allison was pulling folders and papers out of her briefcase. She gave Lindsay a curious look, then spoke.

"I heard you ran into Paul last night."

"Word travels fast," Lindsay responded evasively, picking at fuzz on her sweater.

Allison shook her head. "You grew up here just like I did. You know how gossip spreads, especially since he's the mayor". She frowned. "You shouldn't let him get to you like that. It's exactly what he wanted – to get a reaction out of you."

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't help it." Lindsay shrugged and bit her lip like a scolded child.

Allison smiled in spite of herself. "It's okay. Me, I probably would have tried to strangle him, so you handled yourself well." The two friends laughed at the idea.

"Steve Marks from the Daily Record left another voice message for me," Lindsay mentioned. "I'm starting to like the idea of giving an interview. If nothing else, it will just make me feel better to vent. Do you think it would be a bad idea?"

"No, not if you work that Monroe charm," Allison teased. "If you want to do it, I'll arrange it. I'd like to be present while they interview you, though."

Lindsay nodded. "Let's do it," she affirmed without hesitation.

"I'll call Marks this afternoon and set it up. Anyway, time for business," said Allison, looking over the papers in front of her. "They're contesting the will by claiming 'undue influence' – meaning you somehow manipulated your grandparents to leave you such a large share of the estate. That can mean anything from outright blackmail, to more subtle things."

Lindsay didn't comment, but just stared at the floor while absentmindedly stroking Sophie. She tried to steel herself against the familiar pain that was washing over her once again. She wished Danny was there next to her.

"The vast majority of contested wills are upheld," Allison continued to explain. "It takes a lot to overturn a will. So in a normal case, I'd say you don't have anything to worry about."

Lindsay sighed, nudging a crack in the floor with her shoe. "But this isn't normal, is it?"

Allison shook her head sadly. "No. I'm not going to lie to you, Linds. It's going to be an uphill battle. Rachel has enormous pull, so does her husband and so does her father."

"Which judge is on the case?"

"Well, that's one good thing," Allison admitted. "It's Judge Loper. He's probably the most impartial judge in the city. Still, none of them want to tick off the mayor. _Even_ though he'll probably be defeated in the next election."

Lindsay nibbled her fingernail. "What's going to happen on Monday?"

"You're going to have to answer some questions under oath. They have bank records showing money that your grandparents gave you. Your job is to explain what the money was used for – tuition, necessities, and so on. You need to say that you were never involved in their will planning, and you never manipulated."

"You mean like when Uncle Dale convinced my grandmother to sell him the farm three years ago, just so he wouldn't have to pay inheritance tax?" Lindsay growled, fighting the lump that was quickly forming in her throat.

Allison shook her head. "Breathe, Lindsay. Listen to me; it's going to be very important that you keep your cool when you answer these questions. Don't show your temper. You need to go in there with a confident air."

Lindsay wiped at her eyes, as if she could prevent the tears from forming. "I'm just so angry."

Allison reached over and squeezed her arm. "Hey hon, I'm going to do my absolute best. We're not going down without a fight. Now, I think we've touched on everything we need to." She paused, a glint in her eyes. "Come on outside with me, I have a present for you."

* * *

Meanwhile, Danny drove into Bozeman, looking for the hardware store. He was amazed to see that every single person he passed waved to him. He wondered if it was some sort of "country folk" greeting thing.

Danny knew it was going to be a rough afternoon for Lindsay, and he wanted to do something to cheer her up. She had brought an infinite amount of joy to his life; he constantly felt like he needed to do things for her in return. Though sometimes he still doubted he could _give her_ as much as she _gave him_.

Buck's General Store was located in town, not far from the supermarket he and Lindsay had been to the previous night. Danny opened the door and was startled when a miniature cowboy dangling from the doorjamb chirped "Yeeeeee haw!" Stepping inside the little store, he saw several people freeze and stare at him.

The shopkeeper grinned from under his cowboy hat, and waved his hand. "Don't mind us nosy townspeople," he chuckled. "We're just curious about foreigners."

"I'm from New York." Danny corrected, burning uncomfortably under the gazes.

"Exactly." The man winked. "That accent gives you away."

Danny shrugged and looked over his list. Battery-operated candles, batteries, tablecloth.

He was amazed at some of the items he found while wandering the aisles… an endless variety of fishing lures, bottles labeled "Buck Lure" (of which he did not care to know the contents), and the very same door chime which had announced his entrance. He snatched one up, imaging Mac's reaction if he hung it in the lab. _That_ was too good to pass up!

"Yeeee haw!" the obnoxious door chime in the front of the store sounded again. Danny heard the shopkeeper murmur a "Ma'am", and the clip-clop of high heels approaching. Intense perfume wafted over him before he realized someone was standing next to him.

Danny turned to face a woman who was a dead ringer for Lindsay, only with a prickly edge. Same height, same hair, same features. Her eyes lacked the light sparkle of Lindsay's; instead they were steely and harsh. Her jaw was set, and her face was tense. Her very presence was caustic. She smiled at him with all the warmth of the Arctic tundra.

"Wow," she purred. "My cousin sure knows how to pick 'em." She extended her manicured hand towards Danny. "Rachel Monroe."

Danny snubbed her gesture. "I know who you are," he responded, looking her straight in the eye. The fury inside him was growing – this was the woman who had caused Lindsay so much pain, so much heartbreak. He had no interest in exchanging formalities.

Rachel smiled and tossed her head back. "Of _course_ you know who I am – everyone does. And you must be the handsome Detective Messer." She studied him approvingly; licking her lips subtly like a predator stalking its prey.

"Such a shame, really. I bet you'd like to know what a _real_ woman is like." She clucked her tongue.

Danny snickered snidely. _Is she for real?_ He wondered. He could not hide his disdain for this _creature_ who had hurt Lindsay.

"Sorry, you're not my type," he retorted. "I prefer my women warm-blooded and without scales."

Rachel's eyes flashed dangerously. "You can't talk to me like that," she warned. "In case you've forgotten, my husband is the mayor of this town-"

Danny cut her off. "Up for reelection in May. And it doesn't look promising, from what I hear around town." He waved his hand to indicate the local gossips.

She glowered at him. "You're probably only here because you see your dear Lindsay as your meal ticket for life. We'll see if you're still so crazy about her come Monday, when she leaves here penniless and shamed."

Danny, never intimidated, stared at Rachel and moved within a few inches of her face.

"You can count on it".

He walked around her, just barely brushing against her shoulder, leaving her gaping.

* * *

**A/N** – Up next – find out what Danny's surprise is. Review, review! Feed my pathetic need for validation! LOL 


	10. Lofty Aspirations

**Disc:** Please don't sue me.  
**A/N:** My brain was hijacked by the Fluff Fairies for this chapter, so if you don't like the ooey-gooey stuff… well, blame it on the Fairies. For me though, this is one of my personal favorite chapters.  
Thanks as always for the many wonderful, supportive, encouraging, and flattering reviews. They keep me assured that I am, ummm, not THAT crazy! And a big shout-out to everyone at the Danny/Lindsay Forum, for putting up with my shipping antics. Here's chapter 10!

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Lofty Aspirations**

Lindsay and Allison stepped out into the brilliant afternoon sunshine. It danced across the mountains and sprinkled gold dust over the fields. Lindsay was happy that the weather had been so unseasonably warm; a nice day like this could make anyone's burdens feel lighter. It was a picture-perfect Montana day.

Allison opened the trunk of her car, and withdrew a dusty green box.

"This was found in your grandmother's safe deposit box," she explained. "No other party was interested in it, so I took it. You deserve these".

Lindsay accepted the box, and peeked inside. It was packed with family photographs, newspaper clippings, and artwork. No items of financial worth, which would explain why Rachel hadn't snatched it up. In sentimentality, though, it was worth millions.

"Thank you so much," she said softly, her eyes growing misty.

"Don't mention it!" Allison hopped in the front seat of her car. "I'll call you later and let you know the details on the newspaper interview," she said, starting the ignition.

Lindsay waved a goodbye, then heard a rumbling from the driveway as Danny made his return. Sophie sounded a joyous bark to see the vehicle approaching.

Lindsay walked to meet him, and Danny slid his arm around her shoulder, squeezing her close to him.

"So where'd you go?" she inquired.

"Now, if I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise, now would it?" he breathed into her hair. He had no intention of telling Lindsay about bumping into her cousin. Changing the subject, he asked "How was your meeting?"

"Scary," Lindsay told him honestly. "But I've decided to do a newspaper interview. Allison wants to be there when I do it, so she is handling the arrangements."

She sighed deeply before continuing. "Anyway, I need to be alone for a little while," she said, handing him the box of photographs. "Can you take these in? I'm going for a walk."

Danny understood her need for solitude. Despite the speed at which their relationship had progressed, they each maintained a need for independence. They had been alone for so long that the desire for breathing space still lingered. He kissed her cheek and headed for the house, as Lindsay ambled down the driveway on her own.

* * *

Nearly an hour later, Danny sat in the kitchen looking through the box of mementos Allison had brought. One framed photo was of Lindsay with her brother and, judging from the date on the back, was taken just months before he died. Danny was amazed at the resemblance between the two children; Michael could have passed as her twin. A creased snapshot showed a 6-year-old Lindsay in overalls and muddy bare feet, a giant smile on her face and one arm slung over a Labrador. He smiled to himself; she looked so carefree and sweet. Digging deeper, he found handmade cards and pictures on yellowed paper. One card decorated with scribbled balloons read "_Happy Birthday Grandma! Love, LuLu." _The nickname was cute, so Danny wondered why she hated being called that now. Next he discovered a sheet of lined notebook paper, with the heading "_Lindsay Monroe, Grade 2_". A childish illustration of a farm was beneath printed handwriting:

_Wen I grow up I am going to hav a farm and  
lots of horsis and a dog and liv ther with my frends.  
But no boys, becus theyr gross._

He grinned. He had probably thought girls were gross at one time, too. More photos took him through her middle school years - holding a trophy won at a horse show, showing off a gigantic bass caught in the Yellowstone River, cross-country skiing with friends from school. From every appearance, she had lived a normal teenage life, despite that fact that her mother had abandoned her at 16.

Danny couldn't deny the territorial tingle of jealousy he felt when he dug up Lindsay's senior prom picture. She was posing with the man they'd just met at the supermarket, Jake. Danny thought Lindsay looked stunning in her red gown, but Jake looked like a total geek. _I'm much better for her_, he assured himself confidently.

Seeing the all of these keepsakes made him feel closer to her, and reminded him of the vise-grip she had on his heart. Sure, he had been in love before, but it had always been in the most superficial, selfish sense of the word. In the past, all he cared about was what his girlfriends could do for _him_ – entertainment, distraction, fun. His connection with Lindsay was almost spiritual, unconditional, and all he cared about was what he could do for _her_. Funny how such an unselfish love could bring him more rewards then he ever thought possible. He thought to himself: _You're a changed man, Messer_. All thanks to a little brown-eyed country girl.

Sitting here by himself, he missed her. Glancing at the clock, he began to grow concerned. She had not come back to the house; Sophie would have alerted him with a bark. She lay at his feet instead, napping contentedly.

Danny and the dog walked outside, where the late afternoon sun spilled shadows off the pine trees. _Where could she be?_ Then it hit him – the barn. It was her sanctuary.

The barn door squeaked as he opened it. "Lindsay?" he called. One of the horses nickered softly in response. He listened for a moment, and heard muffled shouts coming from the hayloft. Each cry was followed by a thumping sound, and Danny fought back the swell of panic in his gut. What was wrong?

He ran to the ladder and began climbing. When he got to the top, he saw her.

Lindsay was gripping a dusty old baseball bat, and slamming it forcefully into a bale of hay with each angry cry.

"YOU LIAR-"

bam!

"YOU BITCH!"

slam!

"I HATE YOU!"

thunk!

"HOW DARE YOU!"

thud!

"GO-

TO-

HELL!"

slam, slam, slam!

The baling twine, weak from the constant battering, finally snapped in a confetti-like explosion of hay. Lindsay tottered weakly, the bat slipping from her grasp, and Danny rushed to catch her.

"Hey, hey, hey," he soothed, holding her up against him. She was trembling from the fury that had finally boiled over. She buried her face into his neck.

"I just want this to be over," she moaned. She was too angry to cry, too angry to feel sorry for herself. She just felt pure, unrestrained anger.

Danny, still holding her up, gently picked the pieces of hay out of her hair and sweater. He had never seen her so mad, and even though it scared him a bit, it also turned him on. He lifted her chin up so he could look at her.

"You're very sexy when you're pissed off," he teased. This resulted in a feeble smile from Lindsay.

"Why don't you go clean up and take a hot bath?" Danny suggested with a wink. "Then your surprise will be ready."

* * *

Lindsay lounged luxuriously in the steamy bathtub, the scents of coconut and vanilla floating around her. Her hands were red and raw, painfully splintered from the baseball bat. Sophie, always insisting on being nearby, was snoozing on the bath mat. Lindsay reached over and lightly stroked the dog's back with her fingertips. The once-hot water was fast growing tepid, and she shivered. _Time to get out and see what my surprise is_, she thought with a smile.

After toweling off, she slipped into a fluffy white robe monogrammed with "Cornerstone Ranch". She dug a first-aid kit out of the closet, smeared ointment on her hands, then wrapped them in bandages.

Lindsay padded downstairs and called for Danny, but the house was silent. The car was there, so he hadn't gone anywhere. Looking out the window, she noticed a light on in the barn. What on earth would he be doing out there? She wondered. She ran upstairs to throw on her sweats. Making Sophie wait inside the house, Lindsay slipped out the door and jogged across the driveway. The early evening chill had set in, stinging her still-damp skin.

Once inside the barn, she called for him. "Hey, Danny!"

"Up here!" was the response she received.

"Up where!" Lindsay yelled back, astonished. Surely not the hayloft? But sure enough, Danny was standing at the top of the ladder. She grinned as she started to climb.

"I feel like Romeo, scaling the balcony to Juliet," she laughed. Danny extended his hand to help her up to the floor, and what she saw left her speechless.

A thick cozy fleece blanket was spread over the straw. A makeshift table had been arranged with bales of hay, and was covered with a tablecloth. Smaller bales pulled up to the side functioned as a bench. Candles were a dangerous thing in barns, but somehow Danny had found battery-operated ones with light bulbs, and they enhanced the ambiance. A basket of food was on top of the "table", as was a bottle of wine and plastic cups. He had turned the hayloft into their own private restaurant.

"A picnic!" Lindsay gasped. "This is incredible!"

He took up her bandaged hands and kissed them. "I gotta tell you," he smirked. "You've completely destroyed my tough-guy reputation."

She laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "I always knew better," she whispered.

* * *

During dinner, Danny spoke up coyly. "I've been thinking…" he began, and then his voice trailed off.

"About…?" Lindsay prompted, her curiosity piqued.

He cleared his throat. "Well, we've spent so much time together this week. I'm not liking the idea of going home to our separate apartments." He coughed awkwardly, looking down into his wine glass and swirling the contents. "Maybe we should move in together."

"Wow. That's a big step," Lindsay admitted, surprised at his suggestion but also touched. They had never had "The Talk" about their future, their relationship. His openness was a good sign.

Danny shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. He hated talking about his feelings. "Maybe I'm rushing it," he muttered, twirling a stray piece of hay between his fingers.

Lindsay frowned. "That's not what I meant. I want to, it just… it scares me a little bit."

"Me too," he admitted, finally bringing his eyes to Lindsay's. He reached over to take one of her bandaged hands. "But not spending every minute with you scares me more."

Lindsay's heart melted. "Then let's do it," she stated firmly. "We can be scared _together_."

He grinned, a product of the nervous tension being abated. "Alright."

"The only question now is," Lindsay said slyly. "Your place or mine?"

* * *

Later, after dinner, they sat wrapped up together on the blanket, Lindsay on Danny's lap.

"How can I pay you back?" Lindsay asked. "For all this?"

"You do," he whispered in her ear, causing her to shiver. "Every time you smile."

That sat in silence for a moment. An owl hooted somewhere outside and the horses below crunched on their hay.

"We have to come back here in the summer," Lindsay murmured, running her index finger up and down the inside of Danny's forearm. "It's warm but not too hot, and everything is green. We can go rafting or swimming. Or the fall, maybe. I love to go hiking in autumn." She sighed.

"We can do both," Danny assured her. "Every year until we're 85, and then they'll have to push us around in wheelchairs."

Lindsay laughed at the thought. A future together was not something they had spoken of, but regardless, was something she deeply desired.

"You are too sweet," she said, still basking in the glow of his thoughtful surprise. The candlelight was perfectly dim, just illuminating enough to feel safe and cozy. "You do so much for me."

"I would do _anything_ for you," he corrected softly, fingering the tiger charm around her neck.

"Anything?" she asked mischievously, twisting in his lap to face him.

"Anything," he assured her, then instantly regretted it when he saw the twinkle in her eye.

"So then you'll ride a horse?"

Danny groaned and rolled his eyes. He had sealed his fate.

"Yes. I'll ride a horse."

* * *

**A/N: **As your reward for being such faithful readers, the next chapter is all about the adventures of our favorite COWBOY! Yes, a horse is going to get lucky. 


	11. Brokeback Messer

**Disclaimer:** I write portions of this story in advance; little snippets that come to me. A line in this chapter addressing Danny as "Cowboy" was conceived in my wild imagination quite awhile ago. Well BEFORE the "cowboy" line from Cool Hunter.  
**A/N:** This is a total humor chapter, an escape from the conflict. Because, really, what's more funny that the idea of Danny on a horse? I know you all have been waiting for this, so I hope it can somewhat live up to your expectations.

* * *

**Chapter 11 - Brokeback Messer**

Danny surveyed the beast before him.

He felt like a knight, off to slay a dragon for the sake of the princess. His dragon, however, was chestnut brown with a white nose and stockings. And this particular dragon, also known as Chance, kept trying to nuzzle him in hopes of receiving a carrot.

In his life, Danny Messer had steadfastly faced serial killers, gang leaders, drug lords, crazy criminals, and an angry Mac – all with unwavering fearlessness. Yet he was incredibly intimidated by this four-legged creature before him.

Lindsay was tacking up the horse, describing her actions as she went along.

"And you have to make sure the saddle is on tight enough," she grunted as she pulled the cinch strap. "Or you'll slide around and fall off."

She had let Danny chose the saddle type – Western or English – and he had selected the Western because it appeared more substantial and comfortable. He kicked the dirt, bored. "You're telling me all this like I'll be doing it again someday."

Lindsay looked over her shoulder, hesitating to study him for a moment. Danny gave her a casual shrug. She pursed her lips together to avoid laughing.

"Do you remember what you told me about Mac the first day?" she asked.

Danny shook his head and rubbed his eyes groggily. Lindsay had dragged him out of bed way too early, teeming with excitement like a child on Christmas morning. No breakfast, no coffee, not even a single kiss: just straight out into the frigid morning air.

She chuckled. "You said, 'He can tell when you're scared, so don't be nervous'. Well, the same is true of horses. They can pick up on your emotions." The she added, under her breath, "Don't forget to call him 'Sir'."

Danny groaned in response. "You'll never let me live that down, will you?"

Lindsay grinned evilly. "I think after what I have planned for you this morning, we'll be able to call it even." She tied Chance to a fencepost with the reins, then retrieved her own horse and mounted up.

"We'll warm up in the ring first, you can just watch," she informed Danny, guiding Timber into the ring.

Danny, leaning against the wooden fence that bordered the ring, looked on. Sophie was leaning against his leg, and he reached down to stroke her ears. He was growing attached to the dog, despite not being much of an animal person himself. Given the choice of the sweet canine beside him, or the massive equine, he would easily choose the dog.

Lindsay began taking Timber through her paces around the ring. Danny had to admit they made a beautiful pair. Timber moved so easily, and Lindsay almost blended in on top of her. Her cheeks were flushed from the chilly morning air, and the simple joy of riding a horse. "You're gorgeous up there," he called.

From the ring, Lindsay cast him a suspicious glance. "Don't even try to charm yourself out of this one, partner." She continued for a few more minutes, then rode out and dismounted. After tying Timber to the fencepost, she handed Danny a hard black English-style riding helmet. "Your turn."

Danny gave her a look of sheer horror. "I'm not gonna wear that," he declared stubbornly, placing his hands on his hips. This game had gone far enough. He had to put his foot down at some point. "It looks like it belonged to some English guy who went fox hunting a hundred years ago."

Lindsay shook her head. "You're sure?"

"Positive."

She smiled brightly. "Fine, then you'll prefer the cowboy hat." She reached for one of the dusty brown Stetsons hanging on a peg, and plopped it on his head. Danny opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off.

"It makes you look really, really sexy." That was all he needed to hear. The cowboy hat could stay.

They both stood to the side of Chance, who swung his head around to watch them. Being accustomed to novices clambering on him, the horse seemed bored.

"Now," Lindsay said. "You'll put your foot in the stirrup, grab the saddle horn, then swing yourself up and put your other leg over his back."

Before attempting to mount, Danny paused to look at Lindsay. He could not believe he was about to do this. She smiled and nodded at him confidently. "You can do it, come on."

Danny reached up to grasp the saddle, and inserted his foot into the stirrup. It did not feel nearly firm enough, and as he started to pull himself up, Chance shifted his weight and snorted. Still holding the saddle, Danny flailed in midair for a moment, then wrenched his foot out of the stirrup and hopped back on the ground.

Lindsay frowned, wracking her brain for an alternate plan. "I know! Let's try this." She dragged a bale of hay next to the horse. "Use this to step up on."

The extra height from the bale of hay allowed Danny to step into the stirrup and swing his other leg over Chance's back without difficulty. He lowered himself into the saddle victoriously. That victory was short lived when, leaning against the horse's mane, he realized just how _high_ he was. He felt completely off-balance up on the horse, and could not bring himself to sit up. It was like being hungover; the world was spinning. Instead, he stayed bent over, clinging to the saddle horn for dear life. Feeling this living, breathing creature underneath him was a new – and frightening – experience.

"Danny, sit up, you can't ride like that," Lindsay directed.

"I can't," he moaned. He looked down at the ground, so far away. Sweet, sweet, ground.

"If you don't sit up, I am going to get out my cell phone and take a picture of you like that. And then I'm sending it to Hawkes with instructions to print it out and hang it up in the lab".

"I'm not some murder suspect that you can bully and threaten, you know," Danny snapped indignantly, but he shakily sat up in the saddle.

Lindsay ignored his comment, and went to unlatch the gate of the riding ring. Chance flung his head down and began picking at snubs of brown grass. At this movement, Danny felt himself pitch forward slightly. Not having the horse's head in front of him made him feel even more high and vulnerable.

"Don't let him do that," Lindsay commanded as she propped the gate open with a brick. "Pull his head up."

Danny tugged at the reins, to no avail. "I can't!" he grumbled. "He's too strong".

"Use those big muscles!" Lindsay tapped her foot impatiently. After a few more feeble tugs on Danny's part, Lindsay took the horse by the bridle and lead him into the ring. To Danny's immense relief, the horse seemed to know the routine, and ambled around the circle with little guidance needed. Lindsay perched on the fence railing and watched critically.

"Keep your heels down," she instructed. "Put your hands closer together, don't let the reins slack so much. And for the hundredth time, sit up straight, Messer!"

"Drill sergeant," Danny muttered under his breath.

Lindsay smiled sweetly and replied, "Now you see what it's like being a rookie. Payback's a bitch, huh?" She then called, "Okay, let's try a trot."

As Chance started to pick up speed, Danny began to bounce. The saddle horn continuously bumped him in a most precarious location.

"Post!" Lindsay yelled. "Move up and down _with_ the horse."

Danny desperately tried to match his rhythm to the horse, and after a few more laps he was able to stop floundering in the saddle like a dying fish. A few minutes later, Lindsay signaled that the exercise was over. He directed the horse to the gate, happy that this experience was over.

"Okay," Lindsay said brightly, hopping back up on Timber. "Let's hit the trail."

Danny looked aghast. "You mean we're not done?" he asked, exasperated. His posterior was screaming for mercy.

She eyeballed him. "We're going on a trail ride. That was just practice."

Danny conceded defeat – as he so often did with Lindsay – and just nodded slightly. "Let's get going, then." It saddened him knowing that had Lindsay asked him to ride bareback and attempt a handstand, he would have done it, just to make her happy. _You're one pathetic schmuck,_ he chastised himself.

As the duo began riding across the pasture, Danny started to relax – just a tiny, tiny bit. It was becoming a nice day, the sun had begun to warm the frosty morning, and the scenery was breathtaking. The gentle, steady plodding of the horse underneath him was also growing comfortable. Even the cowboy hat on his head felt less strange. The Longhorn cattle watched them while sunning themselves under the hay feeders, idly chewing their cud. Just outside the pasture was the trail that entered the woods. The canopy of tree branches was bare from winter, which allowed sunlight to stream through and illuminate the path. Lindsay rode first, with Danny following a few feet behind. They rode in silence for a few minutes. Up ahead, they heard a crackling of brush, thensaw a flash of brown and white. Danny balked, but the horses kept rambling along.

"What the hell was that?" he asked, startled.

"Mule deer," Lindsay replied matter-of-factly. "It looked like two does. Good trail horses like these won't shy."

"I guess I'm not a good trail horse, then," Danny joked. Lindsay laughed and slowed her horse down until Danny and Chance came alongside them.

"You passed the test," she informed him proudly. "Not only did you master riding, but you make one extremely sexy cowboy."

He smirked with pleasure. "What's my reward? I'm thinking a nice massage, then a hot shower together?"

Lindsay laughed again, and slapped her reins. As Timber took off at a trot, Lindsay called behind her, "Your reward is absolution!"

* * *

Later, they relaxed in the living room, basking in front of a roaring fire. Danny lay with his head on Lindsay's lap, grimacing in pain.

"I'm never going to walk again," he whimpered. "And thanks to that saddle, I might as well become a _priest_."

"Give the aspirin a little time to work," she chided. "I mean, you did take _four_ of them!"

"Well, I'm in agony here."

"It's called 'saddle sore', and you'll get over it," Lindsay responded. She was trying hard, very hard, not to laugh at his grousing. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the sound of the crackling fire. Its warmth combined with the smoky aroma was making her drowsy. She settled back into the sofa cushions, her fingers toying with Danny's hair, and felt herself giving in to sleep.

All of a sudden, a thought hit her like a lightening bolt.

"The interview!" She cried out, jerking up and bumping Danny off her lap. He grunted and cautiously stood up, tentative as an old man.

"They're going to be here any minute! It's almost eleven!" Lindsay dashed to a nearby mirror and began frantically finger-combing her hair. "I look awful. And I smell like a horse."

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Lindsay whipped open the door to see two men: one was tall and blond, carrying a tape recorder and notepad. The other was short and balding, and he held a bag and a camera. Allison had just pulled into the driveway, and was parking her car.

"Miss Monroe?" The blond man smiled and extended his hand. "I'm Steve Marks with the Bozeman Daily Record. Nice to meet you at last."

* * *

**A/N:** Hope that was good for you all. I apologize for not responding individually to all your reviews: I am having terrible computer problems. As soon as CBS buys the movie rights for "Miles to Go" from me, I am going to buy a new computer. LOL   
**Upcoming: ** Lindsay gives' her side of the story' to the newspaper, then gives Danny a tour of her old stomping grounds in Bozeman. 


	12. Cold Front Moving In

**Disclaimer: **D & L are borrowed from CBS, not owned.Take with a full glass of water, preferably after a meal. Suffocation risk for toddlers and small pets.  
**A/N:** Warning, I hate this chapter. I know some authors say that as a way of garnering reassuring reviews, but I really mean it – I _don't like this chapter_. It gets better near the end, but ughhh.  
Rather than continue to tweak it forever, I am just posting it so I can move on. Additionally, I worry I am writing too OOC, mainly with Danny. I'm in a place of transition with the story - there are some things I need to cover, but I'm anxious to get to the action, and the ultimate resolution. I _will_ finish it – it will not be left in the Bermuda Triangle of Unfinished Fics!

* * *

**Chapter 12 - Cold Front Moving In **

"I didn't know you were bringing a photographer," Lindsay said, accepting Steve Marks' handshake warily.

"But of course," he grinned, pumping her hand. "You're getting the front page."

As Allison entered the foyer, she cast a curious eye towards Danny's hobbling gait.

"We went riding today," Lindsay announced. An understanding passed between the two women.

"Ouch," Allison muttered under her breath.

The five of them congregated in the den to conduct the interview. Danny and Allison sat on either side of Lindsay, and she felt bolstered by their supportive presence.

"I hope you're aware, Mr. Marks," Allison began cagily, tapping her fingernails on the table. "Lindsay can't discuss specifics aspects of the case. Personal questions are fine, but I want to make it clear that anything about the will itself is off-limits."

"I'm aware," he replied tartly. "We've been over that. What I _want_ is details about her growing up, her decision to leave the state, her career. We want our readers to _connect_ with Miss Monroe! Make them _feel_ for her!" he enthused.

Something about being constantly referred to as "Miss Monroe" irked Lindsay. Despite his patronizing tone, she was anxious to set the record straight within the community. Steve Marks pressed the 'record' button on his tape recorder, and smiled.

"So, Miss Monroe. Let's get started…"

* * *

Afterwards, the group moved outside to take photos. The interview had been much less painful than Lindsay assumed. She answered all the questions honestly, and Marks seemed confident that she would look like a local golden girl. The paper was due out first thing in the morning, and most Bozeman residents would have read the article by the time the arbitration convened at 9am.

The photographer had Lindsay lean against the split-rail fence, gazing out over the fields.

"Look sad! Look dejected!" the photographer challenged. "You want to make the reader _feel_ your pain!"

Lindsay forced a frown, trying to appear solemn. This was like being a supermodel on the catwalk. She didn't want anyone to feel sorry for her, didn't he see that? The photographer took a few more shots, then had Danny step in next to Lindsay. He put his arm around her in a protective pose, and whispered in her ear.

"If any of my buddies knew that my picture was going to be in a freakin' _Montana_ newspaper…" he growled.

Lindsay laughed out loud in response.

"Try to look a little more melancholy, okay?" called the photographer, growing impatient. "We're trying to garner sympathy for you, here."

When the photo session wrapped, the group walked back to the farm house. The conversation turned to the weather: what had started out as warm, beautiful weekend was quickly growing chilly on this Sunday afternoon.

"We're supposed to get snow tomorrow night," Allison mentioned to Lindsay. "What time are you two flying out Tuesday?"

Lindsay frowned worriedly. "Our plane is supposed to leave at noon. We really need to get back to our jobs." She cast a worried glance towards Danny. Things were going to be different at the lab no matter what. Mac, and likely everyone else, knew about their relationship. And after missing nearly a week of work, Lindsay was itching to return.

"Last I heard, they were calling for six to ten inches by Tuesday morning," said Marks, scrutinizing the gloomy sky. "But you know how Montana weather goes," he added with a chuckle.

"If you don't like it, wait five minutes," Lindsay, well-versed in Western meteorology, finished the phrase for him.

Inside the warmth of the house, the visitors packed up their equipment and prepared to leave. Allison hugged Lindsay tight.

"We'll get 'em," she said. "Try not to worry too much, get some sleep tonight."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Marks said, walking over to again shake Lindsay's hand. "I hope you're prepared for what a circus it's going to be."

Allison glared at him as she slid into her coat. "Thank you, Mr. Marks, my client is already nervous enough."

Lindsay gulped. "What does he mean?" she hissed to Allison.

"There's going to be a ton of people there. Local television, papers, no to mention the general public". Allison shook her head as she walked out the door. "You need to focus on the case, and not get distracted with that."

As Lindsay escorted Marks and his photographer out, he thanked her for agreeing to speak with him.

"It was a pleasure," he grinned, as he stepped out onto the porch. "Thanks to you, Miss Monroe, the Bozeman Daily Record will be flying off the shelves tomorrow."

Lindsay forced a smile in return. Although she appreciate the opportunity to speak her peace, Marks' eager attitude was a bit much to stomach. They exchanged goodbyes, then Marks turned to ask her one more question. He gestured to Danny.

"The gentleman that was with you, I got his name, but what is his relationship to you? Is he your friend? Your boyfriend?"

Lindsay paused thoughtfully. How did she sum up Danny's place in her life? Would one word do it? Then the answer occurred to her.

"He's my everything."

* * *

Lindsay was fidgety and nervous. She, Danny, and Sophie were lounging around the house, and Lindsay was ready to jump out of her skin. The idleness was driving her crazy, allowing anxiety to get a grip on her mind, and she needed some distraction. It struck her that after two days in Montana, Danny still hadn't seen much of the town.

"Come on," she called to him, grabbing the car keys from the table. "I'll take you on a tour of all my old stomping grounds." Without waiting, she threw on her coat and marched out the front door. Danny, dazed by her sudden exit, followed her curiously. Sophie followed him to the car, and hopped into the backseat.

And over the next hour, Lindsay took Danny on a most unique and guided tour of Bozeman.

She showed him the building where she used to work, the birthplace of her CSI career. Nearby was the field where she processed evidence in her first murder case. She recounted the details as they drove by: The man had been stabbed in the chest with a pitchfork eight times. Being a rookie, it had been disturbing for Lindsay to witness the bloody outcome of such rage. After identifying the type of hay imbedded in the wound (an orchard grass/timothy mix), and printing the handle of the pitchfork, Lindsay was able to trace it back to a local sheep farmer. Questioning soon revealed that his wife was having an affair with the victim, and the farmer had decided to settle things his own way. Her first case had ended in an arrest in a mere two days.

Next up was Bozeman High School. The long, one-story brick building had changed in the years since Lindsay had graduated. Urban sprawl had created the need for a new wing and an expanded stadium. The stadium was done in blue and gold – the colors of the Bozeman Broncos.

"Wow," said Danny, suitably impressed. "I was expecting a one-room school house."

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "You mean like _'Little House on the Prairie'_?"

"Come on," he teased. "You'd look hot in braided pigtails."

"That's one twisted fantasy, Messer," she chided with a cluck of her tongue.

Just around the corner from the school was Wapiti Junction Service Station. "In a little town," Lindsay explained, "a gas station is your best source of local news and gossip. People stop in for gas, cigarettes, and a healthy dose of Country Bullshit."

"Country Bullshit," Danny repeated, chewing over the words. "Such a crass term, _Miss Lulu Monroe_."

"Should I turn around now?" asked Lindsay. "We can go back and saddle up the horses again." When Danny didn't respond, she sneered. "That's what I thought. Now don't let me hear you say _Lulu_ again."

They traveled several miles down a bumpy dirt road to reach the next stop of the tour: an enormous ranch. An old steer skull looked down from the wooden gateway, and a branded sign read "Triple T Ranch".

"That's where we went to keg parties," Lindsay explained. "The Thurstons were so clueless about the hordes of kids carousing in their corn crib." Danny laughed, loving the idea of his Lindsay as a wild and drunk teenager.

"I never would have guessed you were like that," he snickered, highly amused.

"Like what?" Lindsay asked innocently. "It's just stuff that every teenager does. In this little town, it's not like we had a lot to do."

Several miles down the same road, then to the left, was a place much more personal and sentimental to Lindsay.

"This was my grandfather's farm," she revealed. "After the will is settled tomorrow, it will go up for sale."

"What's gonna happen to it then?" asked Danny.

"They'll probably turn it into a strip mall," she sighed sadly. "And my uncle and I will split the profit… _maybe_. Depending on what happens at the hearing."

She went on to proudly explain her grandfather's passion for charity and helping troubled youth.

"Kids from rough backgrounds, he would hire them at the farm. They harvested crops and worked with the animals, it really turned their lives around. At his funeral, so many of them showed up that it was standing room only." She remembered it with a bittersweet smile.

Lindsay drove out of the Bozeman city limits without another word, continuing down a windy rural road bordered with pine trees. After a few miles, she pulled over into a graveled parking lot which was adjacent to a large lake.

Lindsay got out of the car, and walked towards a bench that faced the lake. Danny, unsure of what he should do, waited until she sat down before deciding to follow her. He sat down at the opposite end of the bench. Lindsay didn't speak, she just looked out over the gray expanse of water. When Danny saw the small granite plaque in front of them, engraved with a name and a date, it hit him.

_In Memoriam  
Michael James Monroe  
1982-1986_

So this was _the_ lake.

"I've never stopped here before," Lindsay said, clutching the seat of the bench and rocking herself slightly. "I've just never had the courage to come back since that afternoon."

She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. She could hear the lapping of the water against the shore. And in her mind's eye, she could still see the tiny sneaker washed up in the mud.

"Twenty years, and I still blame myself for what happened," she continued. "A day hasn't gone by that I don't feel the guilt."

"Why, Lindsay?" Danny inquired, bewildered. "You were just there, you didn't cause your brother to fall out of the boat."

"Exactly: I was _there_." She struggled to fight back tears. She was not a crier, so it frustrated her that she had lost control of her emotions multiple times in front of Danny. "Everyone around me dies. Someone gets close to me, and BOOM! They disappear."

Danny reached over, slid her across the space that separated them. Often he wished he could say those three little words to her, to comfort her. No matter how he felt it, those were words that he couldn't force from within.

"It's not true," he whispered instead. "Bad things happen, but it doesn't mean we deserve them. It's just life."

"Sometimes I feel bad for bringing you into this – it's like I'm cursed." The thought made her shudder.

"You're not a curse, you're a blessing," he assured her, winding a strand of her hair around his fingertip. He thought of all the deaths she had faced, and the one person who had simply left her.

"Lindsay," Danny began cautiously. "Have you ever tried to find your mother? I mean, at work, we have resources…"

"No," Lindsay replied firmly, stiffening. "I don't want to know, and I can't have someone like that in my life. She made her choice. I can't depend on someone who might leave me all over again."

"You know I would never leave you, right?" Danny asked.

She didn't speak, just nodded, and he moved his chin to rest on her head. The breeze had picked up, and dark clouds continue to spread across the sky. For Lindsay, it seemed to shadow what she would be feeling over the next twenty-four hours. She had not brought gloves, and instead stuck her hands inside Danny's coat for warmth.

"So why did you come here, after all this time?" he questioned.

"Because you make me stronger," she said simply. "I want to move on. It's time to let go."

A muffled barking broke through the silence, and Lindsay smiled. Sophie, locked safely in the car, had lost patience. The dog could lighten the mood when nothing else could.

"I guess that means our trip down memory lane is up," she laughed.

As they walked back to the car, hand in hand, Lindsay spoke again.

"You know, I've never told you this before, but I almost didn't take the job."

Danny slowed his pace, waiting for more.

"I had a job offer in Sioux Falls. I would have made more money, because the living expenses aren't near what they are in New York. The head of the CSI department was a great woman, they really wanted me."

She smiled softly as she reminisced. "But for some reason, I was still drawn to New York."

Twilight was settling over the land, the silvery moon preparing to make its debut. For the first time, Danny had to admit that perhaps, just perhaps, Lindsay was right about this whole 'fate' thing. He released her hand in order to slip his arm around her waist, pulling her close.

"Some reason," he murmured softly.

* * *

**A/N:** In case you wondered why I skipped over the actual interview, it's because the entire article will appear in an upcoming chapter. Bear with me, better stuff is just around the bend. 


	13. Aligning the Troops

**Disclaimer:** D & L are borrowed from CBS. Other characters and events are the product of my twisted, overactive imagination.  
**A/N:** Yes, the Easter Bunny is bringing you another chapter already. As requested, more interaction with Danny and the local characters. This was an enjoyable chapter for me to write – immersing our dear Mr. Messer in the western culture provides such a wealth of ideas.

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Aligning the Troops**

t was a long night. Lindsay spent many of the darkest hours watching the clock, as she had nearly a week prior. When Danny awoke Monday morning, Lindsay was just finally asleep; her arm draped over a snoring Sophie, who was nestled between them. He reached over and flipped off the alarm clock before it began to shriek, then gently shook Lindsay's shoulder. Her eyes opened, and locked with his.

"Hi," he murmured.

"Hi," she whispered in response.

"You ready to kick some ass today?" he asked softly. He held up his fist, and she lightly tapped her knuckles to his.

"I'm ready," she said, although her voice trembled.

* * *

On the front steps of most Bozeman residents sat the Monday _Daily Record_. Danny retrieved the copy off of the front porch and sat in the kitchen to read it over coffee, while Lindsay dressed upstairs.

_**Local Woman Comes Home for the Battle of her Life**_

_Lindsay Monroe has experienced more heartache in her 28 years than most people have in their lifetime. But don't expect her to take it sitting down. After relocating in October for a new job, Monroe has returned to Bozeman this weekend to fight for her share of her grandmother's will. On Sunday, Monroe agreed to speak with the _Daily Record_ from Cornerstone Ranch Bed & Breakfast, where she is staying until Tuesday._

_Monroe was designated to receive approximately one-half of her grandparents' estate; the other half to go to her paternal uncle, Dale Monroe of Bozeman. But Dale and his daughter Rachel Monroe are contesting the will based on "undue influence." See interview with Rachel Monroe, Friday's edition, page A7 They claim that Dale, being the only surviving child, should be the sole heir. Furthermore, Rachel has made accusations that her cousin manipulated their grandmother into leaving her such a large share. Lindsay Monroe, however, firmly refutes such claims. _

"_I would never manipulate my own grandparents. I never even talked to them about their will, it was just too morbid to even think of." _

_Miss Monroe was born and raised in Bozeman. When she was eight, her younger brother Michael drowned in a boating accident. _

"_It's hard," she admits, seated in the den of Cornerstone Ranch. "You have this person there who is so much like you, shares your DNA, then he's gone. It was like a part of me drowned in the lake, too. I'll never stop wondering what he might have been."_

_Tragedy was not finished with Monroe yet. Her father died when she was twelve, and her mother mysteriously disappeared four years later. By the time she was sixteen, Monroe was living on her own._

"_I just didn't have anyone," she says. "At that time, my grandparents did support me financially. But we were never a close-knit family, so I depended on my friends for emotional support."_

_She graduated in 1996 from Bozeman High, and after college, became a crime scene investigator for the Bozeman PD. What was her motivation in becoming an investigator?_

"_After experiencing loss as a child," she explains. "I was always looking for answers. Kids can't grasp that kind of loss – they constantly want to know _why_. That's what made me want to help other people find the answers that I never got. It brings me satisfaction to be able to tell grieving family members not only _who_, but _why_. In a way, it brings me a little closure, too. Maybe some questions are never meant to be answered, but they're still worth asking." _

_After the death of her grandmother last fall, Lindsay Monroe applied and was accepted for a job as a crime scene investigator in New York City. Though suspicious have been raised over her sudden exit, Monroe assures that it was necessary._

"_I needed to start over," she said. "I had lost my whole family, and staying here just let me dwell on the pain. Everyone knew and loved my grandparents, and I felt like I was under the microscope. I'll always love Montana, but New York has allowed me to heal and move on."_

_When asked if she felt betrayed by her family members taking legal action against her, Miss Monroe admitted that she did._

"_Betrayed, yes; but I was expecting it. There was a lot of jealousy and bitterness building up in the years before my grandparents' passing. When I found out that I was named as an heir, I knew something would happen. That was also partially behind my decision to leave town. I knew it was going to get ugly." _

_This morning at 9am at Bozeman Courthouse, Miss Monroe will attempt to retain what was declared for her in the first place. The hearing is open to the public, in courtroom 2C._

"_It's not about the money," Miss Monroe says. "It's about standing up for myself, and standing up for my family members that are no longer here. It's what they would have wanted."_

_

* * *

_

The photograph above the article was of Lindsay leaning on the fence, looking out across the pasture with a despondent expression. Danny was actually relieved they didn't publish the photo that included him. Given the circus surrounding the story, he appreciated the anonymity.

Tossing the paper aside, he whistled when he saw Lindsay descend the staircase. She was dressed in a business suit: maroon blazer, skirt, and tall boots.

"Wow," he said approvingly. "Dressed to kill, I see."

She was able to force a grin in return. "Or to be killed, I don't know which," she said feebly.

Danny drew her to him, inhaling the familiar scent of her. "That's not the country girl I know," he scolded gently in an attempted pep-talk. "You don't let anyone get away with murder."

He helped her into her coat, and grabbed the car keys. "Now, let's _do this_."

_

* * *

_

As they walked up to the courthouse doors, the press surrounded Danny and Lindsay like bothersome flies. Camera bulbs flashed, and reporters yelled questions left and right.

"Lindsay!" shouted one voice. "Over here!"

"Miss Monroe! Can you tell us how you are feeling this morning?"

Danny half-shoved Lindsay through the front doors and into the relative safety of the courthouse.

"Whew," she gasped as they passed through a metal detector. "That was brutal!"

Inside now, she was aware of the curious glances from the many people who were milling around. She hoped to see someone she knew – Allison, or any familiar, friendly face. As if on cue, a shadow fell upon them as they stood idly in the hallway.

"Well, well, Miss Lindsay is back in town!" a voice drawled.

Danny and Lindsay turned towards the man that was swaggering up to them. He was balding, and his giant beer-gut partially hid the enormous belt buckle which was shaped like a bucking bronco. From under his black Stetson hat twinkled two squinty blue eyes. He slipped an arm around Lindsay's shoulder, and pressed a kiss to her cheek with a _slurp_.

"How's my top girl?" he asked. "You look mighty purty."

"Hi, Ephram," Lindsay mustered, trying not to wince. The smell of cigar smoke was nostalgic, but overwhelming. "I'm good."

"Who's your young friend here?" he asked, looking Danny over as if he were appraising a prized beef steer.

"Danny, meet my former boss," Lindsay said. "This is Captain Ephram Paxton. Ephram, this is Detective Danny Messer."

"Wait a minute," Ephram said, hooking his thumbs into his belt loops and eyeing Danny suspiciously. "Is this the same 'Danny' character who was such a pesky varmint to you?"

Lindsay reddened, and Danny looked slightly alarmed at the stance of the bullish man who was now staring him down.

"Uhhhh," she stuttered, remembering her phone conversation with Ephram after the zoo case. "He's more than made up for it," she finally managed.

"Good thing," he said, casting one last surly glance at Danny before squeezing Lindsay again. "Look's like the city's been good to ya, darlin'. Now I'm gonna go in and get me a good seat."

No sooner had Ephram walked off, when a squeal was heard down the corridor.

"LINDSAYYYYYY!"

Lindsay was delighted to see the face of a former coworker. She and Marti had worked many cases side-by-side. Marti was very much the opposite of Lindsay – she was perky, hyper, and talkative. The fellow CSI nearly bowled her over with a hug.

"Lindsay, I can't believe Rachel did this to you," Marti gushed. "What an evil witch. Anyway, how's New York?"

"It's great," Lindsay nodded, glad to escape reality with these pleasantries.

"How did things go with that hot coworker you had a crush on?" Marti chirped enthusiastically.

Lindsay's face once again turned a deep shade of red. This time, Danny made the save.

"I guess that'd be me," he chuckled, introducing himself. "Lindsay sure must have been burning up the phone lines."

"There sure are a lot of people here," Lindsay confided to Marti, trying to change the subject before Danny's head could swell any larger.

"Are you kidding?" Marti squawked. "It's local entertainment. I'm surprised they're not selling pork barbecue and balloons out on the sidewalk."

She turned towards the stairs that led to courtroom C. "I'll see you inside, girl. I hope you stomp them! Me, I'd have gone with the 'Triple S. Solution'," Marti joked as he walked away.

"Which is?" Danny prompted Lindsay.

"Shoot, shovel, and shut up," Lindsay explained meekly.

"Wow," Danny shook his head. "These country folks are a tough crowd."

A new voice drifted over them. "There's the star of the day!"

"Jake!" Lindsay smiled. At the sight of Lindsay's high school boyfriend, Danny suppressed a growl. Jake held out a small bouquet of flowers to Lindsay.

"For luck," he said, winking.

Lindsay laughed. "Yellow tulips! You haven't forgotten!"

Danny seethed. What, did he look invisible? Wasn't it obvious that Lindsay was with _him_ now? Besides, Jake was married. So why wouldn't he keep his paws off Lindsay? When Jake greeted him, Danny managed a curt nod. He was grateful when Jake finally excused himself to go find a seat in the courtroom.

"I see you've been greeted by your supporters already," said Allison, coming over to join them. "I swear Lindsay, if the judge doesn't rule in your favor, they are going to have one hell of a riot on their hands."

All of the support made Lindsay feel confident, strong, and nearly giddy. Before she could savor the feeling for long, more shouting came from the press camped outside. Then, stampeding through the door, came the rest of the Monroes: Rachel, her husband Paul, Dale, Dale's wife Judy, and their team of assistants. Lindsay's stomach flipped.

Danny grasped her by the shoulders, turning her to him, and stared into her eyes. "Don't look at them," he said firmly. "Look at me. Look right here."

She did as he instructed, focusing on him and trying to forget the rest of the world. With Danny, that was easy to do.

"Whatever happens in there," he continued, "isn't gonna change a thing. Because we are going back home, back to our lives, and you won't have to ever deal with these people again."

One of the court bailiffs approached Allison, murmuring something to her. She nodded at Lindsay. "It's time."

Lindsay took a shaky, shallow breath, and Danny went to escort her to the stars. Allison stopped him.

"You can't go up," she told Danny apologetically. "Only locals are permitted, no one out of state."

Lindsay glanced at Danny, her courage beginning to fail her now. How could she manage without him there? The lump in her throat was threatening to strangle her.

He smiled easily in an attempt to calm her. "You'll be fine without me."

He picked at a piece of white dog hair on her blazer. "See? Even Sophie's here in spirit."

Lindsay was afraid she would burst into tears any second.

"Come on," Allison said, gently taking her elbow.

"Go get 'em," Danny said, then touched Lindsay's necklace. "…Tiger."

As she and Allison plodded up the stairs, Lindsay thought of how far she and Danny had come; how lucky she was. It occurred to her that if none of this had happened, she never would have applied for a new job in the first place. All of a sudden, she grasped Allison's arm.

"I forgot something," she gasped. "I'll be right back."

"Hurry! It won't make a good impression if you're late," Allison warned, raising an eyebrow curiously.

Lindsay ran back down the steps, recklessly toddling in her boots. The people coming up stared at her like she was a lunatic. She pushed open the double door, and spotted Danny standing at the end of the hall where she had left him. He looked at her worriedly as she raced towards him.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Lindsay didn't answer, she simply grabbed his hand.

"No matter what happens today," she said, breathless, "I wouldn't change a thing. If they hadn't done this, I never would have left Montana. Never would have moved to New York. I'd live through it all over again…." She sucked in another breath, panting.

"…because it brought me to _you_, Danny."

She began backing up, not releasing his hand until distance caused his fingers to slip from hers. Without another word, or waiting for his response, she turned and ran back towards the stairs.

* * *

**A/N:** The Triple-S thing is true – though it's usually a reference to defending livestock from troublesome wildlife. Coming in the next few chapters…  
The hearing, and the verdict. Danny shares a beer with Lindsay's old boyfriend. Lindsay has a one-on-one with her cousin.


	14. All These Monroes

**A/N:** Remember me? Sorry it took so long to finish this one. This chapter is highly theatrical and abstract. I am making use of "artistic license" in a big way. Would a arbitration hearing for a contested will be he conducted like a trial? Of course not. Does it make for a more interesting story? Yup. It's fantasy, just like this entire story. Why start being realistic now? ;) I'm trying to paint a vivid portrait of small-town characters. Again, sorry it's so long, but I didn't want to split it up.

**Disclaimer: **Despite endless edits, grammar and spelling errors will happen. D & L are not mine. If they were, I would totally play with them like Barbies and make them kiss already! Author is not responsible for the crick you'll get in your back from sitting there reading this longggg chapter.

* * *

**Chapter 14 - All These Monroes**

****

Walking into Courtroom C, Lindsay was astounded by all the familiar faces she saw. She spotted her fifth-grade math teacher seated next to her junior high tennis coach. Her old babysitter Mrs. Owens waved excitedly to her, as did several more former coworkers. Not only were the faces familiar; they were plentiful. The seats had filled up, leaving over a dozen people were standing against the back wall. Jake was a part of that group, and he gave Lindsay a thumbs up as she passed. Members of the press sat crammed in the benches, scribbling on notepads.

Lindsay joined Allison behind one of the tables that was situated in the front of the courtroom. She ignored the heated stares of her family members at the opposing table.

"You're just in time," hissed Allison, pulling out a chair for Lindsay as the judge entered the courtroom.

Judge Loper was a portly man, who kept an unlit cigar in his mouth most of the time. Lindsay vaguely remembered him speaking at a second grade "Career Day"; she was in the same class as his son. As everyone stood to acknowledge his presence, his voice boomed across the courtroom.

"We're here today to hear the case of Monroe vs. Monroe." The judge peered over the documents before him.

"I've reviewed the cases, and the allegation has been entered as 'Undue Influence'. I see the chief plaintiff is representing her own party. The defendant's attorney is Allison Byers. I'll allow each side to make their arguments, and I will announce my decision after a lunch break. "

Murmurs filled the courtroom, and the judge continued.

"Let me make myself very clear: I understand the amount of public interest is extraordinarily high, but this is still a court of law. Any outbursts, and you will be escorted out by a bailiff. Let's not make a spectacle." He looked towards the opposing table. "The plaintiff may begin."

Silence descended as Rachel stood up.

"Today is an critical day for my family," she began, stalking lazily about the courtroom like an egret intent on spearing a fish. "More importantly, it's a critical day for this entire town. My grandparents Rebecca and Edward Monroe were pillars of this community. They would have wanted to continue to bless Bozeman with their generosity even after their passing."

She turned to stare at Lindsay. "Your Honor, we're requesting your intervention today because my cousin wants to deprive the city of that generosity."

Lindsay suppressed a growl, and squeezed her pen in frustration.

_Relax_! Doodled Allison on a notepad. _I'll roast her like a pig on the spit._

"Enough of the histrionics, Ms. Monroe, get on with it," growled Judge Loper.

Rachel clammed up, then regained her composure. "I'd like to ask a few questions of my father, Mr. Monroe, who is the primary beneficiary in the will."

The judge spoke up. "Can we use first names, please? All of these _Monroes_ are giving me a headache."

Lindsay's uncle came forward, and sat in the witness box. He reminded her so much of her father that she almost couldn't look at him. Although he lacked the tenacity and venom of Rachel, he was still motivated by greed.

"You're a psychologist," Rachel began. "Can you tell me, Dale, how influence by Miss – err, _Lindsay_ – would have affected your parents' will preparation?"

"Objection!" barked Allison. "He's hardly going to be capable of giving an unbiased statement, Your Honor."

The judge nibbled the end of his pipe thoughtfully. "I'll allow it."

Dale cleared his throat. "My parents were very kind-hearted people. They couldn't say no. Especially if it was someone they loved." He frowned at Lindsay.

"In your professional experience, Dad – I mean, _Dale_, is it possible that people who are influenced by family members can succumb under the pressure, leading them to make regretful decisions which will have a far-reaching impact?"

"Leading," Allison snapped.

"I'll rephrase it," Rachel said testily. "Dale, how would your parents have reacted to pressure from their granddaughter while writing their will?"

Dale shook his head sadly. "They would have done whatever she wanted. She was the only living child of their late son. They left her such a large amount of money; the only reasonable explanation is that they were bribed or guilted into it."

Rachel nodded thoughtfully. "So, you're saying that such kind people could have easily fallen prey to forceful manipulation tactics by the defendant?"

"Exactly," confirmed Dale.

"Thank you, nothing further," Rachel said.

"Miss Byers, any questions?" asked Judge Loper.

Allison hopped out of her seat. "Just a few," she replied.

"So, Dale," she began. "You're a psychologist. Can you tell me your _specific_ area of expertise?"

His cheeks began to flush, and he looked around. "I'm a sex therapist," he admitted.

The court erupted in titters. Judge Loper smirked, and Lindsay even let a giggle slip out. In New York, such an occupation wouldn't be a big deal. But here in the country, it was comical.

Allison had Dale right where she wanted. "Hmm," she said. "Perhaps I'm jumping to conclusions here, but I'm guessing that a lot of those couples you see aren't having issues with composing wills, correct?"

"Correct," Dale grunted.

"So if would be fair to say that you really can't give a qualified professional opinion on the matter of 'undue influence'?"

Dale glared at Allison. She beamed in return. "That's what I thought. Nothing further, you may have a seat."

As Dale rose from the stand, Allison continued, "Your Honor, I'd like to ask Ms. Rachel Monroe a few questions, too."

"That's ridiculous," argued Rachel. "You can't question the opposing side's counsel."

"I can when the counsel is an _interested party_ in the case."

The public sitting in the gallery was watching the events as if it were a tennis match, with barbs being volleyed back and forth instead of a ball.

Judge Loper nodded, and gestured for Rachel to approach the stand. "Go ahead."

"Ms. Monroe," questioned Allison. "You are an attorney. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but didn't you _assist_ your grandparents in the preparation and writing of the will?"

"Yes." Rachel's voice was clipped and sharp.

"This is your signature on the paper, as their attorney?" Allison waved a copy of the will in her face.

Silence.

"Answer the question," directed Judge Loper.

"Yes," Rachel said, exasperated. "It's my signature."

Allison screwed up her face in mock confusion. "Then you must have known that Lindsay was due to receive one-half of the estate. Certainly they would have confided in you that they were being blackmailed, or whatever it is you claim, by Lindsay. Why didn't you talk to your grandparents about it while they were _alive_? I mean, it surely wasn't a shock to you, correct?"

Rachel shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "Well," she stammered.

"Could it be," Allison continued, "you didn't argue it because you knew that's what they _wanted_ for Lindsay? And you didn't want to make them mad, and risk losing your own inheritance?"

"No, never…" Rachel faltered.

Allison tapped her foot impatiently. "Let me get this straight. You don't think Lindsay deserves a single cent, because she wouldn't utilize the money in the way your grandparents meant?"

"Exactly!" said Rachel.

"Then perhaps you can share with the court _your_ great philanthropic plans for the money?"

Rachel was silent for a few moments, and before she could muster an answer, Allison smiled sweetly at Judge Loper. "Nothing further."

* * *

Downstairs, Danny sat idly on a bench. He was alone in the great hall; everyone else had been admitted upstairs. Not knowing what was going on in the courtroom was torture. He had come so far to support Lindsay, and yet he couldn't be there for her single biggest moment. Strolling to the front doors of the courthouse, he gazed out onto the empty street. The hungry press had all gone upstairs to whet their journalistic appetites. Danny looked at the town, so innocent and prim in appearance. He could visualize Lindsay at sixteen or seventeen; then he remembered himself at the same age. What if they mad met back then?

His train of thought was interrupted by the clip-clop of cowboy boots, which signaled that someone was approaching. Waltzing up to him was a blond-haired boy of no more than 17, in a Stetson hat.

"Howdy," he nodded at Danny. His t-shirt read: _If it's Called Tourist Season, Why Can't We Shoot Them?_

"How you doin'?" Danny nodded back, wary of the fact that the kid must not like out-of-towners.

"You're that fella from New York, right?"

"Yeah. Who are you?" Danny responded curtly.

"I'm Sean Goodwin: reporter," he said proudly.

Danny fought back a laugh. This kid was _the press_? "A reporter?" he asked, astonished. "From where?"

"The Sentinel. The Bozeman High newspaper," Sean sniffed. "They wouldn't give me a press badge, though. I wasn't allowed access to the proceedings."

"Join the club," sighed Danny. He walked back to the bench and sat down. Sean sat on the opposite end.

"Looks like it's just you and me," he drawled.

"Mmmph," grunted Danny in reply, bored out of his mind. _What was going on up there?_

"Your girlfriend's hot," Sean announced, swinging his legs back and forth.

Danny raised his eyebrow, stunned for a moment by the kid's gall.

"I know," he said cautiously. "But right now I'm just worried about how she's doing up there."

"There's a way to find out what's happening," Sean said evasively, running his finger over a crack in the bench.

"What are you talking about?" asked Danny quickly, his curiosity piqued. Maybe the kid wasn't so bad to have around after all.

"In the men's bathroom," Sean explained. "If you stand on the toilet in the last stall, you can listen through the vent and hear what's going on in the courtroom." His blue eyes sparkled as he winked at Danny. "Want to try?"

Danny didn't hesitate. "Let's give it a shot," he nodded.

* * *

It was time for Lindsay's side of the case to be heard. Allison began by giving an opening statement.

"Your Honor," she stated. "What's happening today is critical to the town, indeed. It's critical because it is a huge waste of time. You'll see that there is no evidence whatsoever that the Monroes were unduly influenced by their granddaughter, Lindsay Monroe. She was their granddaughter, plain and simple. They wanted to be sure she was provided for, long after their passing."

Allison went on to explain the circumstances of Lindsay's adolescence – the death of her father, the abandonment by her mother. She had Lindsay come to the stand, and tell of her experiences of living alone and fending for herself, and describe her relationship with her grandparents. All went smoothly, until it was Rachel's turn to question Lindsay. She stood up and strode purposefully towards Lindsay, a stack of paper in her hands.

"Lindsay, I have here bank records from our grandparents' personal checking account, in the years from 1994 through 1998. According to these statements, you received varying amounts each month for 'living expenses' – anywhere from $200 to $600."

Lindsay remained calm. She had known this was coming. "Since my mother was still alive, we didn't get the life insurance from my father. Our house was paid off, so I lived there, but I was still in school. My part-time job didn't cover the electric bill, or groceries, or insurance…"

Rachel interrupted. "Didn't your grandparents pay for other things, as well? Like your senior trip, your first car? So you certainly manipulated them back then."

"I was _sixteen_," Lindsay pointed out.

"But wouldn't it be accurate to say that you took advantage of them?"

"I was _sixteen_," Lindsay repeated. "I was a child."

Rachel was fast losing her cool. "Do you find it interesting that as soon as your grandmother died, you left town? Was it because your _meal ticket_ was no longer alive?"

"Objection! Badgering!" Allison shouted from her seat.

"Sustained," growled Judge Loper.

"No more questions," Rachel announced, flouncing back to her seat.

"Redirect, Your Honor?" asked Allison. When he nodded, she stood and approached Lindsay.

"Miss Monroe, why did you leave town as soon as your grandmother passed?"

Lindsay looked over towards her so-called family, what remained of her blood ties.

"I had no reason to stay," she said softly.

"Nothing further," Allison said.

* * *

Danny had to laugh at his current situation. Here he was, thousands of miles from home: standing on a dilapidated toilet in the men's room of a Montana courthouse, with a teenage cowpoke, eavesdropping on a court case. He balanced on the wobbly toilet seat, his neck craned at an angle to hear the voices which drifted through the vents. Someone had scribbled "Charley luvs Rayleen" on the stall door in front of him. He could hear voices, but was unable to decipher most of the words.

Sean, standing on the floor, passed Danny an empty beer bottle.

"Here," he instructed. "Hold this up to the vent, you can hear better that way."

It worked. The glass bottle funneled the sound directly into his ear, and Danny filled Sean in on the testimony as it went along. They exchanged high-fives after Rachel was humiliated several times over by Allison.

"You think your girlfriend's gonna win?" asked Sean excitedly.

"She's going to whip their _asses_," Danny declared.

Sean pulled a pen and notebook out of his pocket. "Can I quote you on that?"

* * *

Both Allison and Rachel made one last plea to the judge; reiterating the points made earlier. Court was dismissed for a lunch recess, to reconvene at 1:00 with announcement of the judge's decision. As she and Allison walked downstairs, Lindsay felt strangely at ease. It would all be over soon: she could go home, move on. Spotting Danny at the bottom of the stairway, she felt a surge of emotion rush through her. She walked quickly to greet him, and when he wrapped his arms around her, she thought she might just melt into him.

"We have an hour to kill," she said, taking his hand and leading him towards the exit. "Let's go grab lunch, and I'll tell you all about it."

"Your uncle's a _sex therapist_?" Danny asked incredulously, humor dripping from his voice.

Lindsay gaped at him. "You heard? How?"

Danny tossed a grin over his shoulder at Sean as they left the building.

"Oh, I have my sources."

* * *

**A/N:** We're on the home stretch. Three chapters left! The best is yet to come. Thanks as always. ;)


	15. Absolution

**Disclaimer: **D & L are not my characters, but after all this time, sometimes even I forget.  
**A/N:** What you've been waiting for, I know: the verdict. Now, the clause mentioned in this verdict sounds unbelievable, but in my research, I learned that there actually IS such a clause in many wills. Oh, and there really is such a brand of beer.

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Absolution**

After lunch, the same crowd of people from the morning were gathered in the courthouse lobby. Excitement hung in the air, and the nervous energy was palpable. Lindsay stood huddled with Danny and Allison. She was intensely studying the floor tile in a lame attempt to distract herself from the butterflies in her stomach. She knew from the whispers nearby that her uncle and cousin had entered the building, and didn't look up.

"A pleasure to see you _again_, Detective," Rachel cooed to Danny as she sashayed by.

Lindsay's head snapped up. "Again?" she asked Danny, watching her cousin's retreating figure.

He gulped, remembering his exchange with Rachel two days prior.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded.

Danny had become skilled at deflecting anger. He figured, too, that now was not the best time to explain to Lindsay that the Bozeman High Sentinel would be publishing an exclusive interview with "The Boyfriend of Lindsay Monroe".

"Did you know that when you're pissed off, that cute little dimple in your chin gets even more pronounced?" he asked Lindsay sweetly.

She shook her head, exasperated. "That's not going to cut it. When did you see her?"

"At the hardware store," he explained hurriedly. "It was nothing."

Before the argument could go further, Allison interrupted them.

"They just opened the doors," she said hurriedly, then added to Danny: "You can come up for the verdict. No one will notice".

The mass of bodies moved upstairs. Danny was astonished by the packed courtroom. As a CSI, he had testified at many trials, but he could not remember a single one with this fervor. While Lindsay and Allison approached their table up front, he squeezed past several pairs of legs and collapsed into an empty spot on a bench.

"Honey!" squeaked a voice.

He recognized Mrs. Owners, Lindsay's old babysitter, sitting next to him. She beamed and grabbed his hand, pulling it into her lap. Danny was trying to concoct an excuse to get his hand back when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Swinging around, he saw Sean sitting behind him. The teenager looked even younger without his hat. Danny eyed him suspiciously.

"How'd you get in here?" he asked.

Sean shrugged. "Bribery, plain and simple. A quart of the best homemade moonshine this side of the Yellowstone river."

Danny laughed. He really liked this kid. It was like seeing a Western version of himself as a teenager. Sean gestured to his notebook.

"So you still aren't going to tell me if she's a good kisser?" he asked, referring to Lindsay.

Danny tried to glare at him without cracking a grin. "I told you: no comment."

Sean smirked. "It's okay, I already know how country girls are. They grow 'em wild in Montana."

He passed Danny an amateur-looking business card, obviously printed on a desktop printer. It listed his credentials from the high school paper, and included an email address.

"Keep in touch," he told Danny, who pocketed the card with a smile.

The noisy crowd suddenly ceased their chattering when the bailiff announced the entrance of Judge Loper. Cigar dangling from his lips, he strode purposely towards the bench and slipped on his glasses. At the front of the room, Lindsay took a deep breath, and felt Allison squeeze her hand under the table.

Judge Loper began. "After examining the testimony and the evidence brought before this court, I have come to a decision in the Monroe vs. Monroe case. The choice was a clear one for me."

He paused and cleared his throat dramatically before continuing. Lindsay felt her heart flutter. _This was it._

"It is beyond me why this case was even brought before the court to begin with. There is no evidence – none whatsoever – that Miss Lindsay Monroe unduly influenced the will of her grandparents. Therefore, It is my judgment to uphold the will, as is."

Cheers exploded from the gallery. When the noise died down, Judge Loper spoke again.

"In addition, while reading over the will, I discovered a certain clause which states the following: 'Any aforementioned heir(s) who shall contest this Last Will and Testament will find themselves disinherited. Their said share will go instead to the remaining beneficiary."

The courtroom erupted: whoops came from the gallery, Rachel let out an anguished cry of protest, Allison gasped. Sean stomped his boots, Jake pumped his fist in the air. Mrs. Owens squealed, and the fuchsia stain now on Danny's cheek stood as further proof of her glee. Ephram let out a whistle, Marti clapped her hands vigorously.

Only Lindsay Monroe sat silently.

"In other words," continued the judge. "Miss Lindsay Monroe will be receiving the following: the home and farm property at 6906 Willow Creek Road valued at $1.5 million dollars, all personal effects of the late Rebecca Monroe, and the bank account balance of $525,802.07." He banged his gavel once, and stood up. "This court is adjorned."

"You are a very wealthy woman now, Linds," Allison exclaimed, pulling her into a hug. Over Allison's shoulder, Lindsay locked eyes with the only person who mattered to her in this moment. His eyes were blue.

* * *

For Lindsay, moving from the courtroom back down to the lobby seemed to take ages. It was like a receiving line at a wedding – she shook hands, accepted hugs and kisses, gave brief hellos; all without truly registering a single face. She was only aware of Danny's hand on the small of her back as he attempted to guide her through the mayhem. Downstairs now, she paused for a moment to catch her breathe, and let reality sink in.

"Uh oh," sneered Allison with a hiss. "Looks who's coming to concede the election."

Rachel was approaching them. She looked humble, and defeat was evident in the pallor of her face.

"Can we talk?" she asked Lindsay softly.

Allison stepped between them. "Rachel, I think Lindsay has heard enough from you. Go find a corner and lick your wounds."

Lindsay studied her now-deflated cousin. The fight was gone from her eyes; what harm was there in talking to her? She pointed to an empty conference room.

"Meet me in five minutes," she directed Rachel.

Danny frowned. "You want me to come with you?" he asked, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I'll be fine," she assured him with a weak smile. "If I can interrogate criminals, I can deal with my own flesh and blood. Go get some coffee or something, I'll meet you in half an hour."

On his way out, Danny stopped in the men's room to splash water on his face. Through the thin walls, he could hear Allison speaking to Lindsay around the corner.

"If you're sure you can manage on your own, I'll head out," she said. "And I'll stop by this afternoon with the paperwork."

Lindsay murmured something unintelligible, and then Allison spoke again.

"Rumor has it Rachel and her husband are moving away. Paul is dropping out of the mayoral race. You can stay here now, Lindsay. Move back to Montana! You know Ephram would have you back in a heartbeat, and you could live at the farm."

Danny felt his heart drop. He slowly slid down into a sitting position against the wall. Would Lindsay really do that? Would she move back to Montana? The thought was terrifying. What about _him_? Would he be able to leave New York – the only place he had ever called home? He couldn't, even if she wanted him to. Or could he? But Lindsay had money now, she had friends, she surely didn't need him. Danny swallowed the panic that he felt rising, and headed for the exit.

Forget coffee, he needed something stronger.

* * *

Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Lindsay quietly entered the conference room. Rachel was already seated at a conference table, gazing out the window.

"What is it that you wanted to tell me?" Lindsay asked. No longer did she feel intimidated, but rather, empowered.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry." Rachel's gaze did not move from the distant mountains.

Lindsay didn't know whether to laugh, cry, or pick up a chair and launch it in fury at her cousin. She walked to the opposite side of the table and pulled out a chair.

"You expect me to believe that?" she questioned, sitting down.

"Paul and I are moving to Boise. We can't possibly stay here and live like outcasts. I want a truce between us."

"A truce?" Lindsay asked in disbelief. "Tell me something, Rachel, why did you do this to me? I want to know what motivated you."

Rachel shrugged, and looked back outside.

"You're jealous," Lindsay pushed. "I want to hear you say it."

A tear dripped down Rachel's cheek. "Okay, so I'm jealous," she admitted. "You always got what you wanted. You're so lucky to have gotten that job, found that man. Won this _case_."

Lindsay slapped her palm on the table in fury. "Lucky? Are you that twisted? Rachel, I have no parents! My brother _died_. You and your father betrayed me. My grandparents died. I went to New York because I had _nothing_, not because I had illusions of grandeur for myself."

"Can't you forgive me?" pleaded Rachel, her lip trembling.

Lindsay frowned. Seeing her cousin so crushed was strange to her.

"I don't think so," she responded honestly. "Maybe some day, but not now."

"But Gram wouldn't want things to end this way!" cried Rachel.

Lindsay shook her head. "Gram wouldn't have wanted _any_ of these things to happen," she argued. "You made your own bed; don't lay the guilt on me." She pushed back her chair, and went on.

"I feel sorry for you. I do. I believe that deep down in your heart, somewhere under the armor and the ice, you're still the same girl who taught me how to write my name in cursive, and caught fireflies with me every July. But, Rachel, I can't just act like nothing happened."

"You think I'm just saying this because of the money," Rachel sighed.

Though Lindsay didn't believe her cousin's intentions, she wasn't purely angry. A touch of sympathy crept into her heart. She thought of her cousin's loveless marriage of convenience, how Rachel had allowed her life to be swallowed by greed and ambition. But she had chosen her own path; just as Lindsay had chosen a different one. And although Lindsay's path was riddled with ruts and twists, it had led her to peace, love, and now: absolution.

"I do have what you want ," Lindsay said, standing up and walking towards the door. As she opened it, she added:

"But it's not the money. I have what you are missing in your life… and money can't buy that kind of happiness."

* * *

Danny stepped into the cool darkness of Apache Brewery, the bar he had chosen to drown his sorrows. A jukebox was playing a song that begged patrons to get up and two-step. He plopped down at the bar, content to feel sorry for himself. The bartender was filing her nails, and she raised her eyebrows at him as if to ask what he wanted.

Danny said, "Beer. Whatever you've got."

"Moose Drool?" she asked.

"'scuse me?" Danny gaped.

"Moose Drool. That's the brand of beer we carry," she deadpanned.

"Get outta here," he laughed. When the bartender looked at him sternly, Danny just nodded his acceptance. "Sure."

"Make that two beers," came a voice behind him. He turned to see Jake Hunter standing there. _Beautiful_, thought Danny. The last thing on earth he wanted to do was swap locker-room stories about Lindsay with her old boyfriend. He wanted to pout in privacy. Jake perched on the empty stool next to him.

"You look awfully troubled, considering the good news," Jake observed amiably.

Danny shrugged, grunted. The bartender slid a bottle of Moose Drool to each of them, and Danny began to nurse it gratefully. _Maybe if I ignore him, he'll just go away_, he thought, swirling the bottle and watching the brown liquid foam.

"Look, I'm aware that you probably don't like me," Jake sighed, taking a sip of his own beer. "I'll always care about Lindsay. But we were _kids_, it was a lifetime ago. It's obvious that she's found the perfect match in you."

"Perfect?" asked Danny, not sure if he was flattered or intimidated.

"She lights up around you," Jake explained. "I've never seen her smile like that, in all the years I've known her."

The simple thought of Lindsay's smile made Danny smile, too.

"So what's on your mind, partner?" pressed Jake.

"She's thinking of moving back here, and that scares me," Danny admitted, shredding a paper napkin.

"Nah, she won't do that," commented Jake.

Danny eyed him curiously. "You don't think?" he asked, daring to hope.

"She's not the same Lindsay I used to know. It's obvious that New York has changed her for the better. There's no way she'd move back to Montana," assured Jake.

The two men sat in silence for a few moments. The song on the jukebox now was

"I taught her to drive, you know," Jake confided. "Our first time out, she hit a possum, and was too shaken to try driving again for a month."

Danny began to chuckle. "I can see that," he admitted.

For the next ten minutes, Jake regaled Danny with lighter tales of Lindsay's adolescence: how she was the only girl in biology brave enough to do the extra-credit dissection; how she attempted to dye her hair blond once, only it turned green. She spent that summer in her Montana U baseball cap.

Jake looked at his watch. "Well, I gotta get going, bud," he said, laying several bills on the bar.

"Thanks," Danny told him honestly. "I mean, not just for the beer."

Jake slapped Danny on the shoulder as he got up to leave.

"No need to thank me," he said smoothly as he walked towards the door. "But I'll expect an invitation to the wedding."

At the "M" word, Danny choked on his beer, violently coughing until his face turned red. As his breathing returned to normal, he heard footsteps behind him, and Lindsay sidled up to him.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

"Right here, with my Drooling Moose," he said, pointing to the drained bottle before him.

"I'm ready to go home," she announced.

"We'll be there in ten minutes," Danny promised, pulling out the car keys.

"No, I mean our real _home_."

Danny stopped to look at her, relief washing over him.

"But you were thinking of moving back here," he stuttered. "I heard Allison."

Lindsay took his hand and began guiding him towards the car. "No, home is where you are. Our life is in New York."

* * *

**A/N:** Two more chapters to go! Thanks as always for the great reviews, they brighten my day. 


	16. Passionate Plans

**Disclaimer:** Do I really have to go over this, after this many chapters? Haven't you been paying attention? Contains soy, dairy, and wheat gluten products.  
**AN:** We're on the home stretch, this is the next-to-last chapter. Not one of my favorites, I am just losing my focus after all these months. Some sap involved: I can't do smut, so use your imagination. Thanks as always for your reviews, which are so priceless to me.

--

**Chapter 16 – Passionate Plans**

As they traveled up the driveway that afternoon, Lindsay could not think of a more beautiful site than the cozy farmhouse. The sky was thick and gray; the air actually smelled of snow. She was looking forward to lighting a fire, settling in and enjoying their last night in Montana. She linked arms with Danny as they walked in the front door, where Sophie greeted them joyously with barks and licks.

Lindsay tossed her coat aside, and then collapsed on the sofa. Now that the hubbub surrounding the estate had been settled, she felt so much lighter.

"I'm so happy it's over," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. Danny plopped into the recliner chair opposite her. As Lindsay stroked Sophie's head, a thought occurred to her.

"There's something we need to talk about," she said to Danny, her eyes clouding over.

"The dog," Danny replied knowingly. Sophie's tail was wagging, as if she knew she was the topic of conversation, and it thumped rhythmically against his foot.

"What are we going to do about her?" Lindsay asked softly. "We're leaving tomorrow."

"We can fly her back with us, in cargo or something," Danny suggested.

Lindsay shook her head. "Danny, we can't take a dog like this and expect her to live in the city. Greyhounds need to get out and run; they need companionship. We're gone all day, and some nights."

"We could take her to work with us," he tried again, fiddling with the tassels on a throw pillow. "Mac likes dogs."

"She would be a possible contaminate to the evidence," Lindsay argued, frowning. "Can you see her chewing up a swab, or rubbing her nose on a print sample?"

"She wouldn't do that!"

"You're attached to her!" she chided.

Danny shook his head stubbornly. "I am not," he declared. "I just don't want to see you sad anymore."

Lindsay snuggled deeper into the sofa cushions, looking into Sophie's brown, soulful eyes. She owed the dog the best life possible, and New York couldn't offer that. Who in Montana could she trust with Sophie? The answer came within seconds.

"I think I have an idea."

* * *

Danny was upstairs when he saw Allison's car pull up. He had called the lab to fill everyone in on Lindsay's case. He spoke with both Stella and Mac, both of whom were happy for Lindsay, but anxious to get their two young CSIs back. Now, from the window above, he saw Allison enter the house with large rolls of paper. He had sensed from Lindsay's hushed conversations with her at the courthouse that something was up. He padded downstairs, searching until he found the two women on the back porch.

"I'll drop these off at the construction company tomorrow," he heard Allison say.

When he stepped out on the porch, he saw Allison and Lindsay examining blueprints which were rolled out on the table.

"Hey cutie," Allison called.

Danny blanched. He felt something brush his leg, and as Sophie slipped past him, he realized who Allison had actually been addressing.

"What's this?" Danny asked, shaking off the awkwardness and glancing at the sheets before them.

"This," Lindsay explained proudly, "is the future Monroe Family Youth Ranch. I'm not going to sell my grandfather's farm; I'm going to have it converted into a working ranch for troubled kids. Just like he always wanted to do. With my inheritance money, they'll add some buildings, hire staff, and hopefully have it running within a year or so." She grinned like a child with a new toy.

Danny stuttered, both proud and slightly disappointed. "You mean, the money, all of it?"

Lindsay nodded, beaming. "It's going towards building and maintaining this ranch. I told you, it was never about the money."

"I know," Danny said, still shocked. "But are you sure?"

"I put a little bit of money away for myself, maybe for when I retire. But the rest of it is going back to the town. I didn't want it – I knew all along what I wanted to do."

She took Danny's arm as she showed him the blueprints and described each area.

"This will be the stables… each kid will have their own horse to be responsible for," she explained animatedly. "This is the barn where they'll raise cattle, maybe some pigs or chickens. Oh, and here's the cabins where they'll stay, and the main hall." She smiled with satisfaction. "This will be the place for them to start over."

Danny nodded. He thought of all the people he had encountered in his life who could have benefited from such a place. Lindsay was making a difference - in both Montana _and_ New York.

"Here's something from the safe-deposit box," Allison said as she pulled a black velvet box out of her purse and handed it to Lindsay. "This is probably the most valuable, both sentimentally and monetarily."

Lindsay popped the case open, and inside was an enormous diamond ring.

"Holy cow!" exclaimed Danny. The ring had probably cost more than his entire year's salary. It was tarnished with age, but the sparkle was still evident.

"It was supposed to be Rachel's, since she was the oldest granddaughter," Lindsay murmured, sliding it over a knuckle. She remembered admiring it as a young child. The ring, sized for her grandmother's swollen arthritic fingers, was far too big for Lindsay. Still, she would cherish it. She carefully replaced it in the box.

"Ali, you live alone, don't you?" questioned Lindsay suddenly, looking up at her friend.

Allison nodded. "I've actually been considering looking for a roommate."

"I think I've found one for you," Lindsay said. "She's very sweet, quiet, low-maintenance type. She likes living in the country and being outdoors."

Allison nodded thoughtfully, looking interested.

"The thing is," Lindsay added. "She has four legs."

* * *

Danny was struggling under the weight of Sophie's bed, which was topped with her toys and various other supplies. He grimaced with relief as Allison opened her trunk and he slid the items into her car.

"You'll pick my car up at the airport tomorrow?" Lindsay asked Allison, not wanting to say her goodbyes just yet.

"You got it," Allison replied. "I'll change the title and have it transferred to the Monroe Ranch."

Lindsay hugged her attorney and friend one last time. "I can never thank you enough," she whispered.

"No need to thank me," chuckled Allison. "Seeing Rachel fall on her face made it all worth it."

The three turned their attention to the dog, who was pacing about on her leash. She seemed to know there was something going on.

"She likes to sleep in bed," Lindsay told Allison. "She's good about coming when called, but you have to be careful because she will steal food off the table." Her voice cracked slightly.

Lindsay kneeled before Sophie, taking the dog's chin her hand. "You be good for Allison, alright? We'll come visit you, and I'll think of you always." Sophie took her paw and tapped Lindsay's leg, as if to ask a question. Lindsay pressed a kiss to the long slender nose. "Goodbye, Soph." She stood up, a bit shaky with emotion.

"Say goodbye to her," Lindsay ordered Danny. "But don't act too sad – I don't want her getting upset."

Danny ruffled the dog's head. "See ya, kiddo."

He tried to avoid looking directly at Sophie so that he could pretend that he wasn't attached, wasn't going to miss her.

Sophie looked confused as Lindsay helped her into Allison's backseat and then shut the door. As Allison drove down the driveway, Sophie stood on the backseat and stared out the rear window with bewilderment. The white face grew smaller and smaller, until the eyes and nose were only tiny black dots. Lindsay choked back a sob.

"C'mon," Danny urged her gently, feeling a snow flurry hand on his nose. "Let's go in before this blizzard hits."

* * *

Once the snow began, it fell without mercy across the land. Danny and Lindsay stood looking in the living room, gazing out the glass doors. Their faces were pressed up against the panes, and they had to continuous wipe off the fog that had been created by their breath.

As ready as she was to return to the city, Lindsay had to admit she would miss such breath-taking views. The sun had just about set, and the dark sky was a sharp contrast to the now-white ground.

Suddenly the lights fluttered, then went out completely. They were ensconced in blackness.

Danny started. "That can't be good," he groaned.

"The electricity went out," Lindsay explained. "It always happens when it snows. We'll probably have it back on by morning."

"Power outages don't happen much in New York," Danny grumbled. "And if they do, it's not for twelve hours."

Lindsay only smiled in response. _You can take the boy out of the city,_ she thought, _but you can't take the city out of the boy_. She began rummaging through drawers in search of a flashlight. "We'd better get a fire going, or we'll freeze to death. Why don't you go grab some logs?"

Danny went to the garage, and Lindsay busied herself by spreading several blankets out across the floor in front of the fireplace. She piled them thickly, and added a few sofa pillows. Next she pulled a package of taper candles out of a drawer, and lit several of them around the room for added light.

When Danny reentered the room, he began to grin like a possum. He chucked the wood haphazardly into the fireplace, and then wrapped his arms around Lindsay's waist.

"What's this?" he asked, curiously eyeing the cozy set up.

"I'm not the only one full of romantic surprises," she answered, nipping at his earlobe. She took his already-wandering hands and firmly pushed them off of her body.

"We have to make a fire first," she insisted.

"You already started a fire," he accused teasingly.

"Frostbitten skin is not sexy," Lindsay warned, handing him a box of matches from the mantle and settling herself on the floor. The heater had only been off a few minutes, but the drafts were becoming evident.

Danny sat down on the hearth and went to work with the matches and some crumpled newspaper. As the blaze grew, popping and crackling and filling the air with a woodsy aroma, he abandoned his fire poker and crawled onto the blanket next to Lindsay. He lay on his back, and pulled her over top of him so that they were nose-to-nose.

Remembering a similar line she used on him that first day at the zoo, Lindsay purred,

"Have you ever seen what a full-grown Montana Girl can do to a man?"

Danny licked his lips. "I can't wait to find out."

* * *

From her vantage point in Danny's arms, Lindsay watched the snow fall, drifting against the glass doors. The fire, having burned strong and steady for nearly an hour, now cast a bronze glow on their bare skin. They lay on the floor still, wrapped up in a blanket.

"You know what I've finally figured out?" she asked Danny with a whisper. "After this whole experience?"

"What?" Danny whispered back, his left arm curled around and stroking her hair.

Lindsay thought of her family, of Sophie, of the whole town, before she answered.

"That the biggest part of loving someone… is letting them go," she said.

"It's a sacrifice," he stated quietly. "But worth it."

Lindsay loved his voice in moments like these: raspy yet soft, all at the same time. She doodled absent-mindedly with her finger on his bare chest:

M-R-S L-I-N-D-S-A-Y M-E-S-S-E-R

I L-O-V-E D-A-N-N-Y

He gently took her arm, straightening it, and used his index finger to trace letters on the pale skin there. Lindsay tried to focus and guess the letters he was sketching, and she held her breath as the words formed.

I

L-O-V-E

L-I-N-D-S-A-Y

_Finally_, she thought: _validation_. But before Lindsay could savor the moment for long, Danny said coyly,

"Just don't expect me to spray-paint it on an overpass."

* * *

**A/N:** Don't hate me: what can I say, I am a steward of responsible dog ownership. You can't take a Greyhound and stick it in an NYC apartment building, especially when the owners work such long hours. And I can't see Danny dropping her off at doggy day-care each morning. Up next: Danny and Lindsay say goodbye to Montana. 


	17. Moving On

**Disclaimer: **see chapters 1-16.  
**A/N:** Final chapter! I want express my thanks to EVERY single review writer out there. You've been so patient. I've learned a lot about writing long-term pieces. I was more focused on _storytelling_ rather than quality of _writing_. Originally, I had intended it to focus more on the road trip itself (Kerouac-esque), but my interest evolved as the characters on the show did. Recently it has been a struggle, because the characters on the show have changed in their relationship from when I first started writing it (Wasted) to now (Charge of this Post).   
Thank you for all the support over the months. Keep spreading the D/L love!

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**Ch. 17 - Moving On**

When Lindsay awoke on Tuesday morning, the sky was still pink. She burrowed deeper under the quilt, savoring her last Montana sunrise. Danny was still sleeping, and the only sound was the distant hum of a snowplow. As ready as she was to return to the city, she still felt a bit blue. The past week had seemed more like a month, and she had priceless new memories to take with her. Lying there, she thought of squabbling over the maps, the Chicago hotel room, the flat tire, finding another "Secret Sophie", Danny riding a horse. It would all be forever emblazoned in her mind. However, she knew that more memories would be made, and that she had a lot to look forward to.

This was just the beginning.

----

As Danny and Lindsay toted their luggage out the front door of the ranch house, Lindsay snatched up the bouquet of yellow tulips that Jake had given her the day before. Thanks to an overnight soak in water, they were still perky and bright. They would come in handy for what she had planned.

The case of the Monroe estate had made the front of the Bozeman Daily Record, which lay on the front steps. Danny scooped it up as they walked to the car. Steve Marks' newest article was located just below a shot of Lindsay accepting congratulations from a crowd of people. The headline read, _Always a Montana Girl_.

"So," Danny asked as he put the key in the ignition. "How many miles to Vegas?"

Lindsay's coffee mug nearly slipped out of her hands.

"What did you just say?" she asked. She recovered after realizing that Danny had only been teasing, and then played back: "Are you proposing, Mr. Messer?"

He grinned. "Maybe someday, eh?"

At the end of the driveway, Lindsay directed him left. "I need to make a quick stop before the airport," she said.

----

The sign read, "Red Bluff Memorial Gardens".

Danny pulled up to the entrance, but made no move to accompany Lindsay. He sensed this was something she needed to do on her own. Untying the yellow tulips from the bouquet, Lindsay grabbed five of them.

"I'll be right back," she told Danny as she climbed out of the car.

She hadn't been here since her grandmother's funeral in the fall. She was the only visitor this Tuesday morning, no other sets of footprints had tainted the snow. The graves were all topped with a cap of snow, but the letters were still visible. The Monroe plots occupied an area in the center. First, Lindsay stooped in front of her father's grave. She was at a loss for words. Never in his life had they shared a close relationship. Even now, he felt like a stranger to her.

"I hope I make you proud, Dad," she said finally, setting one tulip down gently.

Her grandparents graves shared the same headstone. Where words had failed her only a few seconds ago, they now came pouring out.

"I miss you so much," she told the granite marker, as tears began to fall. "Throughout this whole case, I know you knew the truth, I could feel you urging me on." She paused to wipe the dampness from her cheeks with a gloved hand. "And even though it's hard to leave, it's something I have to do. I can't stay here."

Two more tulips were placed.

"And I can never thank you enough," she added with a whisper, moving on to the last grave in the Monroe section.

Michael.

"Hey little bro," she whispered, depositing the fourth flower along with several teardrops onto the stone. "I wish you could be here, I wish I could talk to you. I want to know if you'd look like me. I wish you could meet Danny."

She looked above her at the sky, where the sun had finally made its entrance. Lindsay thought of how a new day brought possibilities, promises. It was time.

"And I want you to know that I don't blame myself anymore. I'm so sorry about what happened to you, but I can't carry that guilt."

She stood and looked one last time at the granite blocks that represented her family.

"I'll make you all proud," she said softly. This was her goodbye.

As she walked back to the car, she noticed that there was one flower left in her hand.

_My mother_, she thought.

-----

Danny didn't question her decision to stop at the lake, nor try to follow her down to the shore. Once again, he could tell she needed privacy in order to find closure.

Lindsay looked out across the ice for just a brief moment. She didn't know where on earth her mother was, physically. But this was where her mother's spirit had remained.

"I forgive you," was all she said before turning back to the car.

And on the shore of the lake, one yellow tulip dotted the white snow.

----

"Now boarding, all passengers for American Flight 331 to New York City." 

The stewardess's announcement was cheerful and bright. Still, Lindsay shivered as she slung her carryon bag over her shoulder. It was time to board. She hated airplanes, they were too confining and she hated the lack of control she felt while on them.

Danny looked at her worriedly. "Are you okay?" he asked.

Lindsay shrugged. "I'll be okay once we're in flight. It's the takeoff that I hate."

"Come on," he urged gently. "After everything you just went through, you can handle this." He reached over and squeezed her hand, not releasing it, but intertwining her fingers with his as they walked. They boarded the plane, found their seats, and buckled in. For the twenty minutes until takeoff, Lindsay tapped her fingers nervously on the armrest. Once they began to move, she shut her eyes and tried to focus on pleasant thoughts: she visualized herself riding Timber again, Danny at her side. She pretended to hear the clop of the horses' hooves, smell the dampness of the forest.

The plane started picking up speed, forcing them back in their seats as it made its ascent. Lindsay kept her eyes closed, gripping Danny's hand. Once the plane stabilized somewhat, Lindsay willed herself to relax, with little success. She became aware of Danny's breath in her ear.

"Open your eyes," he whispered.

Lindsay peeked out the window reluctantly, and found the view breathtaking. They were still going up, but it seemed to be moving slowly. She could see the mountains, the curving line of a river, the green of the forests. Moment by moment, the ground became more blurred and distant. She watched the city disappear through the clouds. She had done the same last fall when she left Montana, but this time: she was truly leaving.

Danny reached over and touched her knee reassuringly. She looked back at him and smiled. It had all been worth it: everything had come full circle, everything made perfect sense.

In releasing her past, she had found her future.

_FIN._


End file.
